


Laughing in the Face of Casualty and Sorrow

by Kasuna_Kotonoha



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Everyone loves their partners so much, F/F, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, George Washington is a Dad, Human Disaster Aaron Burr, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Its gonna get crazy y'all, M/M, Multi, Other, Poor Aaron Burr, Protective Siblings, Trying to change history, Unrequited Love, Washingdad, Your typical react fic, except theres no Alex or Eliza
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:35:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 33,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23506231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasuna_Kotonoha/pseuds/Kasuna_Kotonoha
Summary: "But maybe all it needs is a moment to change the course of history"-Sally GardnerOr yet another cliche "Hamilton reacts Musical" fanfic
Relationships: Aaron Burr Sr./Esther Edwards Burr, Aaron Burr/Theodosia Prevost Burr, Adrienne de Lafayette/Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette, Alexander Hamilton/Angelica Schuyler (one-sided), Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens (Mentioned/Implied), Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler (Mentioned/Implied), Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler (1734-1803)/Philip Schuyler, Courtney Bailey Hamilton/James Hamilton Jr. (c.1753-1786), Eleanor Ball Laurens/Henry Laurens (1723-1792), George Washington/Martha Washington, Hercules Mulligan/Elizabeth Sanders Mulligan, James Reynolds/Maria Reynolds (mentioned), John Barker Church/Angelica Schuyler (Mentioned/One-Sided), John Laurens/Martha Manning (Mentioned/Past), Maria Reynolds/Margaret "Peggy" Schuyler (Implied), Martha Manning/Angelica Schuyler (Implied), Martha Wayles Jefferson/Thomas Jefferson, Martha Wayles Jefferson/Thomas Jefferson/Dolley Madison/James Madison (Implied), Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Rachel Faucette Buck/James Hamilton, Sally Burr Reeve (1754-1797)/Tapping Reeve, Theodosia Prevost Burr/Jacques Marcus Prevost (Mentioned/Past), Thomas Jefferson/James Madison (implied)
Comments: 148
Kudos: 450





	1. Prologue

By all rights, Courtney ought to have been freaking out. Here she was, not on Nevis like she had been a minute ago, but in a large, mostly empty room with sofas and tables arcing around a shiny vertical black surface.

_ “Please remain calm, everyone, you are perfectly safe. If you would stay seated and talk among yourselves for just a moment, an explanation will be given.” _

Everyone jumped, confusion and apprehension clear on their faces, but they stayed seated.

A minute or two later, there was a flash of white and a loud pop. In the center of the arc of sofas, a teenage girl had appeared.

“Wha-”

_ “Excellent. Now that everyone’s here, please introduce yourselves.” _

“Uh, I guess I can start, I’m John Laurens.”

“Martha Laurens, John's sister, but you can call me Marty.”

“Henry Laurens”

“Eleanor Laurens”

“Hercules Mulligan”

“Elizabeth Sanders Mulligan”

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, Marquis de Lafayette, but it will be easier for you to just call me Lafayette.”

“Adrienne de Lafayette”

“Theodosia Bartow Prevost”

_ “Burr,”  _ she added subconsciously. Unknown to her, the new girl had done the same.

“Aaron Burr Jr”

“Sarah Burr Reeve, but you can call me Sally

“Tapping Reeve”

John sputtered “Your name's  _ Tapping _ ?”

Said man's face pinched slightly. “You can thank my parents for that.”

“Aaron Burr Sr”

“Esther Burr”

“Angelica Schuyler”

“Margarita Schuyler, but call me Peggy”

“Philip Schuyler”

“Catherine Van Rensselaer”

“Thomas Jefferson”

“Martha Jefferson, you can call me Patsy”

“James Madison”

“Dolley Payne”

“Martha Manning, but feel free to call me Mattie”

“John Barker Church”

“Maria Reynolds”

“Martha Washington”

“George Washington”

“James Hamilton Jr”

“Courtney Bailey Hamilton”

“Rachel Faucette”

“James Hamilton Sr”

Everyone looked expectantly at the girl who was still standing in the middle. She blinked before she realized what they were waiting for.

“Right, umm…” The girl visibly swallowed. “I’m Emilia Burr.”

***

Couch 1- Henry, Eleanor, Burr Sr, Esther

Couch 2- Catherine, Philip, Martha, Washington

Couch 3- Rachel, Hamilton, James, Courtney

Couch 4- John, Marty, Mattie, Church

Couch 5- Lafayette, Adrienne, Elizabeth, Hercules

Couch 6- Burr Jr, Theodosia, Sally, Tapping

Couch 7- Madison, Thomas, Patsy, Dolley

Couch 8- Angelica, Peggy, Maria, Emilia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a couple of things
> 
> -Everyone is from 1781, with the exception of Rachel, Eleanor, Esther, and Burr Sr. They are from 1768 (Rachel and Eleanor) and 1757 (The Burrs)
> 
> -Names  
> Martha Manning- Mattie  
> Martha Laurens- Marty  
> Martha Jefferson- Patsy  
> Martha Washington- Martha  
> John Laurens- John or Laurens  
> John Church- Church  
> James Madison- Madison  
> James Hamilton Sr- Hamilton  
> James Hamilton Jr- James  
> Aaron Burr Sr/Jr- will be referred to with the corresponding suffix
> 
> -Description of Emilia  
> 17, Average height, long black hair, dark eyes  
> Wearing jeans and a sweater of varying pink stripes  
> She also has rectangular black glasses


	2. Alexander Hamilton

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNtiO745g68

Emilia really didn’t know what was going on. A moment ago she’d been walking home from the cafe with Nettie. Now she was in a room with her ancestors and a bunch of other historical figures.

Everyone was staring at her too, which made her super uncomfortable. 

“Burr? As in Mr. No-opinions Aaron Burr over there?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, and?” She stared Lafayette down, daring him to challenge her.

_“May I have your attention, please. Thank you. Now, you must be wondering why you’re here. To put it simply, you’re here to change the future.”_

“Uh, what? How?”

_“As I'm sure Miss Emilia is aware, in 2016 a musical was written by Lin Manuel Miranda about Alexander Hamilton. All of you are here either because of your importance in his life, or you are connected in one way or another to one of those people. Now, if you would pass out the playbills, Miss Emilia, we can get on with the show.”_

“If it's about Alexander, why isn’t he, and Eliza for that matter, why aren’t they here?”

_“Don’t worry about them, you’ll see them later.”_

After the voice went away, they stood in silence for a bit until Sally broke it. “So, they mentioned a musical? What’s that?”

Emilia felt relief flow through her. She could do this. “So, you know plays, right? A musical is basically a play, except it's told through songs. And we have our own musical to watch, so let's not waste any more time.”

She passed out the stack of playbills before plopped herself on the couch with an empty stop, next to Maria, picked up the remote, and pressed play.

**_The music opened with drums and an older looking Alexander being shot in the side before quickly changing to Burr in a spotlight as he started singing. In the corner it said-_ **

**_“Alexander Hamilton”_ **

**_-Allison C_ **

Everyone gasped. Not even two seconds in and things were already crazy.

Emilia grinned “We’re watching an animatic version!”

Everyone looked at her curiously, partly because she said something they didn’t know the meaning of, and partly because she was completely unfazed.

“What’s that mean?” Asked Patsy.

“Ok, so remember how I said the show is told through songs? Well, its original format was for the stage, but there are recordings of just the audio you can find and listen to whenever. An animatic means someone took one of the songs and drew a whole bunch of pictures to go along with it.

**[Aaron Burr:]**

**How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore**

Rachel and James shifted uncomfortably in their seats. 

**and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten**

**Spot in the Caribbean by providence, impoverished, in squalor**

**Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?**

**[John Laurens:]**

Mattie grinned as her brother appeared on screen.

**The ten-dollar Founding Father without a father**

The rest of the Laurens family smiled as John walked out of the spotlight.

James glared at his father. While life had been fine without him, it was still pretty shitty of him to just up and leave the way he did.

**Got a lot farther by working a lot harder**

**By being a lot smarter**

**By being a self-starter**

**By fourteen, they placed him in charge of a trading charter**

“Fourteen,” Angelica whispered in awe, voicing the thoughts of many people in the room.

Rachel smiled to herself. She was proud of him.

**[Thomas Jefferson:]**

Patsy smiled as her husband came on screen, leaning her head on his shoulder.

**And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted**

John made a faint growling noise in his throat. He despised slavery and everything it stood for.

**Away across the waves, he struggled and kept his guard up**

**Inside, he was longing for something to be a part of**

**The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter**

“Pretty sure that’s illegal,” said Thomas, only to receive a glare from the Hamiltons and a light smack from Patsy.

**[James Madison:]**

Madison blinked in surprise when he came on screen,

**Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned**

Rachel gasped, looking to both James’s for confirmation. 

She couldn’t say if she was happy she got it.

“Alex never mentioned anything about a hurricane,” murmured Laf sadly, to which John and Hercules exchanged concerned glances, John in particular. There had been many times a storm had passed over wherever they were camped and Alex panicked. He’d never been able to get him to say why.

**Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain**

**Put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain**

**And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain**

**[Burr:]**

**Well, the word got around, they said, "This kid is insane, man."**

“I mean,” Herc said, a cheeky grin on his face. “They aren’t wrong.” About a third of the room, those who knew Alexander well, started laughing.

**Took up a collection just to send him to the mainland**

“They really did?” said Angelica in awe. “Imagine what he must have written.”

They could only imagine as James gave a rueful smile. He hadn’t seen his brother in several years, and he could only imagine what he was like now.

**"Get your education, don't forget from whence you came, and**

**The world's gonna know your name. What's your name, man?"**

**[Alexander Hamilton:]**

**Alexander Hamilton**

His friends all cheered but were quickly shushed, mostly on part of the Burr family.

**My name is Alexander Hamilton**

**And there's a million things I haven't done**

**But just you wait, just you wait...**

**[Eliza Hamilton:]**

The Schuylers all smiled when Eliza entered the scene. 

**When he was ten his father split, full of it, debt-ridden**

George gasped softly before glaring at the elder Hamilton. How dare he!

James’s glare returned full force as well but dissipated when his mother placed her hand on his shoulder.

**Two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden**

**Half-dead sittin' in their own sick, the scent thick**

James grimaced. He remembered that time. They couldn’t afford medicine, so the best they could do was hope. 

But hope could only do so much.

**[Full Company except Hamilton (whispering):]**

**And Alex got better but his mother went quick**

Rachel felt her stomach sink. James wrapped his arms around her as a few tears leaked from her eyes.

**[George Washington (Company):]**

Martha smiled while all the soldiers sat up straighter in their seats

**Moved in with a cousin,**

“At least he has his cousin,” Peggy said brightly, hoping to lighten the mood. James grimaced.

**the cousin committed suicide**

And any lingering good feeling disappeared.

Rachel put a hand over her mouth “Not Peter…”

“I remember that,” said James quietly. “Alex had the unfortunate luck of finding Peter's body.”

**Left him with nothin' but ruined pride, something new inside**

**A voice saying, "Alex, you gotta fend for yourself."**

**He started retreatin' and readin' every treatise on the shelf**

**[Burr (Company):]**

**There would've been nothin' left to do**

**For someone less astute**

**He would've been dead or destitute**

**Without a cent of restitution**

**Started workin', clerkin' for his late mother's landlord**

“I hope he was nice to him,” Rachel said quietly. She still hadn’t quite possessed the fact that she’d died.

**Tradin' sugar cane and rum and all the things he can't afford**

**Scammin' for every book he can get his hands on**

Jefferson would have said something but decided against it.

**Plannin' for the future see him now as he stands on (ooh...)**

**The bow of a ship headed for a new land**

**In New York you can be a new man**

Those from New York all grinned. It really was a place you could change. The city represented a fresh start.

**[Company (Hamilton):]**

**In New York you can (just you wait) be a new man**

**In New York you can (just you wait) be a new man**

**In New York you can be a new man**

**[Women:] In New York**

**[Men:] New York**

**[Hamilton:] Just you wait!**

**[Company:]**

**Alexander Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton)**

**We are waiting in the wings for you (waiting in the wings for you)**

**You could never back down**

**You never learned to take your time!**

“He never did,” Emilia said with a sigh. Almost everyone turned to look at her, questions evident in her expression, but she offered no further explanation.

**Oh, Alexander Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton)**

**When America sings for you**

“America?” asked Eleanor.

“It's the name the colonies will later take,” explained Emilia, not wanting to spoil the musical too much.

**Will they know what you overcame?**

**Will they know you rewrote the game?**

**The world will never be the same, oh**

**[Burr:]**

**The ship is in the harbor now**

**See if you can spot him ([Men:] Just you wait)**

**Another immigrant**

**Comin' up from the bottom ([Company:] Just you wait)**

**His enemies destroyed his rep**

**America forgot him**

“Yeah, forgot him so hard they wrote a musical about him,” Dolley scoffed.

“It is kinda true though,” Emilia said. At everyone’s look, she sighed and elaborated. “Up until this musical was released, Hamilton was one of those people you learned about in school and generally forgot about afterward. Lin, the guy who wrote this musical, had read a biography about him and thought someone must have written a musical, but that wasn’t the case. So he did it himself.”

Theodosia blinked “Yep, because that’s totally normal. Not weird at all.”

Emilia grinned. “Perhaps, but this musical's one of my favorites, even if it's mostly about Mr.Hamilton.”

**[Mulligan/Madison and Lafayette/Jefferson:]**

**We fought with him**

Hercules and Lafayette had wide grins on their faces.

“Always, mon ami”

“Of course we did!”

Meanwhile, Jefferson and Madison were a bit confused. They’d noticed themselves in the background, changing as the other two men did, but the reason why was unknown to them.

“Why are they changing appearances?” Angelica asked, turning to Emilia.

“Right. So far, it's been your actual appearances, right? However, the appearance of the original actors is more common in animatics. What the animator did here was have you switch from your actual appearance to that of your actor, or musical appearance. It's very cool.”

**[Laurens/Philip:]**

**Me? I died for him**

John paled significantly. He’d always known that was a possibility, but...

Henry Laurens tried to keep his expression neutral, but judging by how Eleanor was rubbing his arm, he wasn’t doing a very good job. Neither was she, for that matter.

Marty was hugging her brother, whispering something only he could hear.

Lafayette and Hercules exchanged sad looks. They both knew death in war was a definite possibility, but to hear that it happened to a _friend_? That hurt.

Aaron Jr stared straight ahead, not blinking. His face was blank, but those who knew him well would recognize the way his lips were pressed in a thin line as him trying to control his emotions. While he didn’t often show it, he did care about his friends, and while Laurens could be irritating at times, he was no exception.

Washington was stoic, but even he couldn’t stop a couple of tears from leaking out.

**[Washington:]**

**Me? I trusted him**   
  


“I do”

**[Eliza and Angelica and Peggy/Maria:]**

**Me? I loved him**

Angelica stiffened slightly. Eliza made sense, she was his wife after all, but why was she there, and more importantly why was Peggy in the background while Maria was with her and Eliza?

Surely they didn’t know she had feelings for him, right? And again, what was Maria doing at the front? Looking over to the girl in question showed her to be just as perplexed.

**[Burr:]**

**And me? I'm the damn fool that shot him**

Much like John had moments earlier, Aaron Jr paled considerably. John would have stood up and yelled and Burr had he not caught Emilia’s sharp gaze. 

He’d seen Burr give him a similar look whenever he wanted him to shut the hell up.

“Remember, the whole point of this is to change the future. You don’t know the extenuating circumstances, just the unfortunate outcome. Remember that.”

She saw Aaron give her a grateful look, to which she returned what she hoped was a reassuring smile. If she was reading him right, he was already feeling pretty horrible.

**[Company:]**

**There's a million things I haven't done**

**But just you wait!**

**[Burr:]**

**What's your name, man?**

**[Company:]**

**Alexander Hamilton!**


	3. Aaron Burr, Sir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1A4zu1Vd8g&t=4s

**_“Aaron Burr, Sir”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

Burr Sr raised an eyebrow.

**[Company:]**

  1. **New York City.**



**[Hamilton:]**

**Pardon me. Are you Aaron Burr, sir?**

**[Burr:]**

**That deepnds. Who's asking?**

“Suspicion,” Emilia said, a weird drawl added to her voice for good measure. Maria giggled.

Adrienne gave Aaron Jr a weird look. “Would your answer change otherwise?”

Said man snorted. “I just asked him who he was. I didn’t say exactly that, but I was on my guard.”

“I would be too,” Tapping agreed. “Especially if someone just randomly approached me on the street.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**Oh, well, sure, sir**

**I'm Alexander Hamilton, I'm at your service, sir**

**I have been looking for you**

“Creeper alert” Mattie muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

**[Burr:]**

**I'm getting nervous**

“I’d be worried if you weren't,” Sally said, eliciting a snort from her brother.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sir…**

**I heard your name at Princeton.**

Burr Sr perked up. Had his son gone to school there?

**I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got sort of out of sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him. It's a blur, sir. He handles the financials?**

“Alexander!” said the Washingtons and Hamilton at the same time, equal parts amused and exasperated.

**[Burr:]**

**You punched the bursar**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes!**

“Why does he sound proud of that?” Elizabeth sighed.

**I wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two,**

**then join the revolution. He looked at me like I was stupid, I'm not stupid.**

“Are you sure about that?” Emilia’s face was pinched slightly with doubt. She ignored all questioning looks sent her way.

**So how'd you do it? How'd you graduate so fast?**

**[Burr:]**

**It was my parents' dying wish before they passed**

Aaron and Sally sighed, pointedly ignoring the pitying looks sent their way. 

Meanwhile, their parents were having a mini-crisis. They had died? Since when?

**[Hamilton:]**

**You're an orphan. Of course! I'm an orphan**

“Do you have to sound so happy about it?” Mattie shook her head disapprovingly. She may not be an orphan, but it certainly wasn’t something one was normally happy about.

**God, I wish there was a war!**

Angelica suppressed a groan. Why on earth would he want that?

**Then we could prove that we're worth more**

**Than anyone bargained for…**

**[Burr:]**

**Can I buy you a drink?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**That would be nice**

**[Burr:]**

**While we're talking, let me offer you some free advice**

**Talk less**

“Please do.” Courtney wasn’t a super talkative person. It annoyed her when people wouldn’t shut up and appreciate silence.

**[Hamilton:]**

**What?**

**[Burr:]**

**Smile more**

Angelica nodded. Alexander could afford to smile more often, but he didn’t

It was a shame, he had such a nice smile too.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Ha**

**[Burr:]**

**Don't let them know what you're against or what you're for**

“People can be downright cruel to those they disagree with,” Emila said, loud enough to stop the Hamilquad and Schuyler sisters from laughing or otherwise.

**[Hamilton:]**

**You can't be serious**

**[Burr:]**

**You wanna get ahead?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes**

**[Burr:]**

**Fools who run their mouths off wind up dead**

**[Laurens:]**

**Yo yo yo yo yo!**

“Foreshadow” Emilia whispered to Maria, whose eyes widened in understanding.

**What time is it?**

**[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**Show time!**

**[Burr:]**

**Like I said…**

**[Laurens:]**

**Show time! Show time! Yo!**

**I'm John Laurens in the place to be!**

**A two pints o' Sam Adams, but I'm workin' on three, uh!**

Marty gave her brother a stern look, getting a sheepish smile in return. At least he had the decency to look sorry.

**Those redcoats don't want it with me!**

**'Cause I will pop chick-a pop these cops 'til I'm free!**

“Pop chick-a pop?” Church tilted his head in confusion

“It's a modern thing, mostly for fun, doesn’t really mean anything.”

**[Lafayette:]**

**Oui oui, mon ami, je m'appelle Lafayette!**

**The Lancelot of the revolutionary set!**

**I came from afar just to say "Bonsoir!"**

**Tell the King "Casse toi!" Who's the best?**

**C'est moi!**

James, Rachel, Lafayette, Adrienne, Thomas, John, and everyone else who knew French burst out laughing while the others just looked on in confusion.

“What did he say?” asked Maria

“Yes yes, my friend, my name is Lafayette. I came from afar just to say good evening, tell the king go away-”

“Or fuck off,” Emilia interjected, only to get weird looks from everyone. “Oh come on, you know it's true. Besides, swearing isn’t as big a deal in 2020, just saying.”

James gave the young Burr one final look before finishing. “Anyways, the rest is, Whos the best, it's me”

Lafayette groaned. “My English was terrible then.”

**[Mulligan:]**

**Brrrah brraaah!**

“...what?” Peggy blinked in confusion.

**I am Hercules Mulligan**

**Up in it, lovin' it, yes I heard ya mother said, "Come again?"**

Elizabeth, while she loved her husband, wasn’t quite sure what she thought of this.”

**[Lafayette and Laurens:]**

**Ayyyyy**

**[Mulligan:]**

**Lock up ya daughters and horses, of course**

Angelica glared at him. That was incredibly disrespectful, and to make matters worse, Emilia, someone she’d judged to be pretty sensible, was snickering, a playful grin on her face.

**It's hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets…**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Wow**

“My thoughts exactly,” muttered Theodosia.

**[Laurens:]**

**No more sex, pour me another brew, son!**

**Let's raise a couple more…**

**[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**To the revolution!**

**[Laurens:]**

**Well, if it ain't the prodigy of Princeton college!**

Emilia smiled. Her viewing companions didn’t know it, but they were with a future Princeton freshman.

**[Mulligan:]**

**Aaron Burr!**

**[Laurens:]**

**Give us a verse, drop some knowledge!**

**[Burr:]**

**Good luck with that: you're takin' a stand**

**You spit. I'mma sit. We'll see where we land**

**[Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**Boooo!**

“Rude, but okay,” Sally grumbled.

**[Laurens:]**

**Burr, the revolution's imminent. What do you stall for?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**If you stand for nothing, Burr, what'll you fall for?**

Said man’s lips were pressed in a thin line.

**[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens:]**

**Ooh**

**[Laurens:]**

**Who are you?**

**[Mulligan:]**

**Who are you?**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Who are you?**

“Why does Laf sound so suspicious?” John was trying, and only partly failing, to not laugh.

**[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens:]**

**Ooh, who is this kid? What's he gonna do?**


	4. My Shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDulRVh1gyc&t=135s
> 
> Italicized+bolded text is text that appears in the animatic

**_“My Shot”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Hamilton:]**

**I am not throwing away my shot!**

**I am not throwing away my shot!**

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young, scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwing away my shot!**

Emilia tapped her hands to the rhythm. While this was by no means her favorite song, it still got her blood pumping.

**I'm 'a get a scholarship to King's College**

**I probably shouldn't brag,**

**but dag, I amaze and astonish**

“But you just did. At least follow through on your words, Hamilton:” Thomas’s annoyance was clear, and though Patsy somewhat agreed, she still elbowed him slightly.

**The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish**

**_Wallet which is empty_ **

Emilia snorted. “Me when people ask why I haven’t seen Hamilton live”

**I gotta holler just to be heard**

**With every word, I drop knowledge!**

**I'm a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal**

**Tryin' to reach my goal. My power of speech: unimpeachable**

**Only nineteen but my mind is older**

Washington frowned. He’d known Hamilton was young, but nineteen? That only made his parental instincts grow further. 

**These New York City streets get colder, I shoulder**

**Every burden, every disadvantage**

**I have learned to manage, I don't have a gun to brandish**

**I walk these streets famished**

The Hamiltons grimaced, James in particular. 

**[Laurens:]**

**Ooh!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**The plan is to fan this spark into a flame**

**But damn, it's getting dark, so let me spell out the name**

**I am the**

**[Hamilton/Lafayette/Mulligan/Laurens:]**

**A-L-E-X-A-N-D**

**E-R—we are meant to be…**

**[Hamilton:]**

**A colony that runs independently**

**Meanwhile, Britain keeps shittin' on us endlessly**

**Essentially, they tax us relentlessly**

Most people nodded in agreement. 

**Then King George turns around, runs a spending spree**

“Basically,” said Lafayette.

**He ain't ever gonna set his descendants free**

**So there will be a revolution in this century**

**Enter me!**

**[Lafayette/Mulligan/Laurens:]**

**(He says in parentheses)**

“Like stage directions?” Marty tilted her head slightly in question. Emilia gave her a nod.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Don't be shocked when your history book mentions me**

“And they do, don’t they?” asked Washington. 

“Yeah, they do. Though,” Emilia smiled ruefully. “Not everyone likes learning about history.”

She hadn’t meant much by it, but almost everyone seemed...upset, or some iteration of the emotion.

“And what about you?” Angelica eyed her warily.

Emilia grinned. “I love history! In fact, I’m majoring in History at Princeton with a minor in psychology.”

Everyone stared at her in shock.

“Is Princeton accepting women now?” Aaron Jr asked, pleasantly surprised.

Emilia nodded. “Most colleges and universities are co-ed. Some aren’t of course, but that's a small few. Education is mandatory for everyone until you graduate high school, which ends when you’re seventeen or eighteen.”

All the women in the room had smiles on their faces, but Angelica's was the biggest.

**I will lay down my life if it sets us free**

Angelica’s face pinched up a bit. Alexander really shouldn’t be that nonchalant about dying. The Hamiltons looked concerned.

**Eventually, you'll see my ascendancy**

**[Hamilton (Laurens):]**

**And I am not throwing away**

**My shot (My shot)**

**I am not throwing away**

**My shot (My shot)**

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young, scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwing away my shot (And I'm not throwing away my shot)**

“Why’s it so repetitive?”

“He’s not throwing away his shot, Dolley”

**[Hamilton/Mulligan/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**I am not throwing away my shot**

**I am not throwing away my shot**

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young, scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwing away my shot**

**It's time to take a shot!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**I dream of life without a monarchy**

Adrienne nodded in agreement. While she and her husband were part of the aristocracy, they believed the monarchy to be too oppressive and incompetent.

**The unrest in France will lead to 'onarchy?**

**'Onarchy? How you say, how you say, oh, 'Anarchy'!**

**When I fight, I make the other side panicky**

**With my**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**Shot!**

Laf groaned loudly, head in his hands. “My English was terrible.”

Adrienne shook her head, though her eyes were twinkling with amusement.

**[Mulligan:]**

**Yo, I'm a tailor's apprentice**

“I have my own store, thank you very much.”

**And I got y'all knuckleheads in loco parentis**

“Loco Parentis?” Courtney tilted her head in confusion.

“It means in the place of a parent. So Hercules is the dad friend.”

**I'm joining the rebellion 'cause I know it's my chance**

**To socially advance, instead of sewin' some pants!**

**I'm gonna take a**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**Shot!**

**[Laurens:]**

**And but we'll never be truly free**

**Until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me**

John nodded, and Emilia gave him a thumbs up.

**(That's right!)**

**You and I. Do or die. Wait 'til I sally in**

**On a stallion with the first black battalion**

“Massachusetts 54th,” said Emilia, and John is looking at her in shock, his eyes shining. 

“Pardon?”

“Yep! They were active from 1863 to 1865 during the American Civil war. There's a movie about them, too.”

**Have another**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**Shot!**

**[Burr:]**

**Geniuses, lower your voices**

“Thank you! At least one of you has some common sense.” Angelica muttered, rather exasperated.

**You keep out of trouble and you double your choices**

**I'm with you, but the situation is fraught**

**You've got to be carefully taught:**

**_John: Can we beat him up now?_ **

**_Lafayette: Yes_ **

“John!” Marty smacked him with the back of her hand.

“I would slap you, but you aren’t worth exerting the effort.” Sally was cool, clipped, her posture relaxed, but her eyes were narrow.

Aaron Sr and Esther also gave John a look.

**If you talk, you're gonna get shot!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Burr, check what we got**

**Mister Lafayette, hard rock like Lancelot**

Laf’s posture straightened, and he grinned.

**I think your pants look hot**

“Why thank you.”

**Laurens, I like you a lot**

Mattie looked at her husband out of the corner of her eye. He had stiffened slightly, cheeks flushed, but he was smiling like the rest of her friends. To her right, she thought she saw Emilia wink in his general direction.

Well, if he liked men as she suspected, it wasn’t her place to judge. Not like she was any better.

**Let's hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin' the pot...**

**What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot**

**Poppin' a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not**

**A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists?**

**Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is!**

A lot of people grimaced, particularly Philip, Angelica, James, Aaron, and Washington

Like Father, like Daughter, Philip and Angelica had similar thoughts. How was this going to affect Eliza? Philip had noticed a certain look in Alexander's eyes the moment he’d met him, and so had Angelica. His recklessness could hurt Eliza, and that worried them.

Washington knew all too well the tragedy of war, the damage a single person could do. Hell, he’d been like that, once. It was for that reason he’d refused his sons continuous pestering for a command. Of course, he’d gotten it in the end, but not without a lot of warning.

James knew his brother was ambitious, knew he had the brain to do whatever it was he wanted. However, that’s exactly what worried him. Alex could never be content with ‘good enough’. He always strived to go one step higher. James had been content to stay on Nevis, with a wife he loved very much and a decent paying job. Could he do better? Maybe, but he knew when to call it good.

In all the time they’d known each other, Aaron had never quite understood how Hamilton could charge forward without giving due consideration to his actions. What was even crazier was that Aaron himself had been very much like that, until… well, that wasn’t important. 

**Oh, am I talkin' too loud?**

“Yes,” Courtney wrinkled her nose. She’d never actually met her brother-in-law, but she hoped he wasn’t as loud mouthed the way the musical portrayed him

**Sometimes I get over-excited, shoot off at the mouth**

**I never had a group of friends before**

**I promise that I'll make y'all proud**

“You have, mon ami.” Laf smiled brightly at the screen

**[Laurens:]**

**Let's get this guy in front of a crowd**

“Please no.” Church tilted his head back, groaning while Angelica frowned.

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan/Ensemble:]**

**I am not throwing away my shot**

**I am not throwing away my shot**

Collectively, everyone joined Church in his groaning.

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young, scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwing away my shot**

**I am not throwing away my shot**

**_So this is what it's like to have friends?_ **

Rachel felt a small frown form on her face. She knew her sons had trouble making friends, but the fact that the musical felt the need to point it out made her sad.

**I am not throwing away my shot**

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young, scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwing away my shot**

**[Laurens (Hamilton/Lafayette/Mulligan):]**

**Everybody sing:**

“Thank you, me.” John muttered, seeing at least half the room nod in agreement

**Whoa, whoa, whoa (Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!)**

**Hey!**

**Whoa! (Whoa!)**

**Wooh!**

**Whoa! (Whoa!)**

**Ay, let 'em hear ya!**

**(Yeah!)**

**Let's go!**

“Who’s that?” asked Adrienne. She was referring to the young woman who’d appeared on screen.

“Angelica.” Emilia said, and Angelica nodded in approval

**[Laurens (Company):]**

**(Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!)**

**I said shout it to the rooftops! (Whoa!)**

**Said, to the rooftops! (Whoa!)**

**Come on!**

**(Yeah!)**

**Come on, let's go!**

“Rude.” Angelica made a face at the faceless figure who’d pushed her over on screen.

**[Laurens:]**

**Rise up!**

“Thanks, John.” Angelica sent both screen Laurens and real Laurens grateful looks for helping screen her.

“No problem”

**When you're living on your knees, you rise up**

**Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up**

Sarah and Marty glanced at their brothers. Aaron was holding hands with Theodosia, and though it was discreet, Sarah could still see it. It wouldn’t be a problem if she hadn’t noticed a wedding ring on Theodosia’s finger and a lack of one on Aarons.

Marty couldn’t get the words  _ “Me, I died for him”  _ out of her head. She knew about her niece, Frances, and she couldn’t bear the thought of her brother not getting to meet his daughter.

**Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up**

Angelica’s posture straightened, and a wide smile came across her face. She saw some of the other women react similarly, as well. Far too often, the influence of women was left out of history. She was glad this musical hadn’t disregarded them, pushed them to the wayside.

**[Laurens and Ensemble (Company):]**

**When are these colonies gonna rise up?**

**When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa!)**

**When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa!)**

**When are these colonies gonna rise up? (Whoa!)**

**Rise up!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory**

If there had been anyone not paying attention before, they were now. 

“Alexander…” Washington couldn’t keep the concern out of his voice. Rachel glanced over at him out of the corner of her eye, a similar expression on her face.

James frowned slightly, eyebrows furrowing.

The Hamilsquad, including Aaron, made eye contact with one another, worry evident in all of their eyes.

The Schyulers were a bit upset as well, particularly Angelica. She had sensed something in his mannerisms that spoke of a traumatic past, but never had she thought it was this.

**When's it gonna get me?**

**In my sleep? Seven feet ahead of me?**

Aaron winced. (A/N: at this line, Burr appears on screen)

**If I see it comin', do I run or do I let it be?**

“You run, that should be obvious.” Laf made a face.

“Well, you can’t exactly run from death.” Nevermind Emilia was right, Laf still didn’t like her saying that.

**Is it like a beat without a melody?**

**See, I never thought I'd live past twenty**

**Where I come from some get half as many**

The Hamiltons all nodded sadly. The life expectancy on Nevis was low, very low.

**Ask anybody why we livin' fast and we laugh, reach for a flask**

**We have to make this moment last, that's plenty**

**Scratch that**

**This is not a moment, it's the movement**

**Where all the hungriest brothers with something to prove went.**

**Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand**

Elizabeth chucked when she saw Alex shove the king off screen

**We roll like Moses, claimin' our promised land**

**And? If we win our independence?**

**Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants?**

Burr blinked, surprised, not because he’d never thought of that, but because Alexander had as well. He looked over to where Emilia was sitting. She was mouthing along to the lyrics, fingers tapping along to the beat. Even at a glance, she looked a lot like him. 

_ His descendant _

He noticed other people looking at her too. She was living proof of their cause, of what the colonies would become.

**Or will the blood we shed begin an endless**

**Cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants?**

“No one has killed me yet, so I think we’re good.” Emilia got some strange looks, but she either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

**I know the action in the street is excitin'**

**But Jesus, between all the bleedin' 'n fightin'**

**I've been readin' 'n writin'**

“Of course he has,” John shook his head in fond exasperation. 

**We need to handle our financial situation**

Madison nodded. They’d have to do something about that soon, or the economy would suffer.

**Are we a nation of states? What's the state of our nation?**

**I'm past patiently waitin'. I'm passionately**

**Smashin' every expectation**

**Every action's an act of creation!**

**I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow**

**For the first time, I'm thinkin' past tomorrow.**

“First time?” Peggy hated this, hated how easily and casually Alexander thought of death. It bothered her, but Alex wasn’t here to talk to.

**[Hamilton and Company:]**

**And I am not throwing away my shot**

**I am not throwing away my shot**

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young, scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwing away my shot**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan (Ensemble):]**

**We're gonna rise up! (Not throwing away my shot) Time to take a shot!**

**We're gonna rise up! (Not throwing away my shot) Time to take a shot!**

**We're gonna (Rise up! Rise up!)**

**It's time to take a shot! (Rise up! Rise up!)**

“The poor bartender” Maria shook her head in amusement.

**It's time to take a shot! (Rise up!)**

A lot of people laughed when screen Burr asked to hide behind the bar with the bartender.

**(Rise up!) (Woooah!)**

**It's time to take a shot! (Rise up!)**

**Take a shot! Shot! Shot!**

“You boys are going to get alcohol poisoning, I swear.” Eleanor shot her son a look of vague disapproval

**A-yo it's time to take a shot!**

**Time to take a shot!**

**And I am not throwing away my**

**[Company:] Not throwing away my shot!**


	5. The Story Of Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0FinHZer1M

**_“Story of Tonight"_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Hamilton:]**

**I may not live to see our glory!**

**[Lafayette/Mulligan/Laurens:]**

**I may not live to see our glory!**

“I remember this” John smiled faintly, and Hercules and Lafayette nodded.

“Things felt so much simpler then, didn’t they.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**But I will gladly join the fight!**

James grimaced. Alex was liable to hurt the people he loved with that mentality. Or at least cause them excessive worry.

**[Lafayette/Mulligan/Laurens:]**

**But I will gladly join the fight!**

John swallowed the lump in his throat. At the time, he’d felt no qualms about that. But now…

**[Hamilton:]**

**And when our children tell our story…**

John glanced over at Mattie. He really hadn’t been good to her, had he? He’d never even met his daughter, Frances, who would be about four years old now if his calculations were correct.

If nothing else, he owed it to both of them to survive the war.

**[Lafayette/Mulligan/Laurens:]**

**And when our children tell our story…**

Esther looked at her now adult children. The year she was from, they were only toddlers. For goodness sake, her son wasn’t even two yet! And that line from the first song…

She shook her head. That didn’t matter right now. What concerned her most was the fact that, according to the musical, her children were orphans. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**They'll tell the story of tonight**

**[Mulligan:]**

**Let's have another round tonight**

“Really?” Tapping raised an eyebrow. He didn’t really approve of people drinking so much. After all, he’d see what it could do to a person and those around them.

**[Lafayette:]**

**Let's have another round tonight**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Let's have another round tonight**

**[Laurens:]**

**Raise a glass to freedom**

**Something they can never take away**

“I would argue that it can.”

Emilia gave John a nod of approval, and she saw a few others doing the same. The most relevant example for them would be King George doing just that to the colonies. The other was, of course, slavery. Freedom for roughly twenty percent of their population was basically nonexistent.

**No matter what they tell you**

“Even today, people are still fighting for their freedom, albeit in slightly different ways.”

Despite the looks she was getting, Emilia didn’t say anything else. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Angelica jot something down.

**Raise a glass to the four of us**

**[Laurens/Mulligan:]**

**Tomorrow there'll be more of us**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens:]**

**Telling the story of tonight**

Patsy snuggled into her husband's side, laying her head on his shoulder. She wondered if they’d tell his story too. She sure hoped so.

**[Hamilton:]**

**They'll tell the story of tonight**

Courtney wrapped her arms around James. They told each other everything. Fears, hopes, dreams, you name it, they’d probably discussed it at some point. There was no one she trusted more.

**[Laurens/Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**Raise a glass to freedom**

**Something they can never take away**

**[Hamilton:]**

**No matter what they tell you**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**Let's have another round tonight**

“If it didn't happen already, they definitely have alcohol poisoning now,” Maria sighed. She herself wasn’t much of a drinker, but her husband was.

She didn’t like it when he was drunk. 

**[Laurens:]**

**Raise a glass to the four of us**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**Tomorrow there'll be more of us**

**[Hamilton/Laurens:]**

**Telling the story of tonight**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**Let's have another round tonight**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Ensemble (Mulligan/Lafayette/Ensemble):]**

**They'll tell the story of tonight (Raise a glass to freedom)**

Sally might be a lot of things, but ignorant wasn’t one of them. She had noticed how Aaron was an outsider to this group of friends. Seeing her brother on-screen reading alone only reaffirmed that idea.

**They'll tell the story of tonight (Raise a glass to freedom)**

“That’s Washington,” said Emilia before anyone could ask who was on screen. Her anticipation of a question had been correct, however, as she saw the questions and confusion clear from people's faces. 

Martha smiled to herself, taking her husband's hand in hers. She sincerely believed he would do great things, but at the same time she just wanted a peaceful life with him.

**They'll tell the story of tonight**

“Is that Eliza?” Angelica was, of course, referring to the girl on screen who was gazing out a window at the night sky.

“Yep.”

Angelica smiled softly. She really wished Eliza was here watching the musical with them. Stepping aside to let her marry Alexander had been difficult, but she didn’t regret it.

Well, maybe she did. Just a little.

**(They'll tell the story of)**

**[Full Ensemble:] Tonight**

The last chord was felt in the very soul of the room's occupants. Hopefully, the next song would be a little more upbeat.


	6. The Schuyler Sisters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3j2pPCsMnk

**_“The Schuyler Sisters”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

All the Schuylers sat up straighter. 

**[Burr:]**

**There's nothing rich folks love more**

**Than going downtown and slummin' it with the poor**

**_Honey look, a poor person_ **

“Is that supposed to be Alexander?” Elizabeth was, of course, referring to the outline of a person standing on a platform

Emilia smirked slightly “Indeed it is. It's a bit of a reference or foreshadow for the next song, in fact.”

**They pull up in their carriages and gawk**

**At the students in the common**

**Just to watch them talk**

**Take Philip Schuyler:**

Said man and his family all had their attention grabbed. 

**the man is loaded**

“Loaded?” Philip tilted his head curiously, looking over to Emilia

“That’s just a way of saying someone has a lot of money.”

He nodded. It wasn’t like it was exactly a secret.

**Uh-oh, but little does he know that**

Philip raised an eyebrow in the direction of his daughters “What don’t I know?”

Peggy and Angelica chuckled nervously.

**His daughters, Peggy, Angelica, Eliza**

**Sneak into the city just to watch all the guys at**

“We did not!” 

“Kinda did, Angie.”

Philip gave his two present daughters a stern look. “Really?”

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**[Angelica:]**

**Angelica!**

Angelica held her head high, chin tilted up slightly, impressed by her actress's voice. 

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**[Eliza:]**

**Eliza!**

Catherine smiled at the voice given to her second oldest daughter. It was perfect. Peggy and Angelica wished she were here.

**[Peggy:]**

**And Peggy!**

Peggy’s brow furrowed. Was that really it? Her character had shoved herself in like an afterthought.

Maria, noticing Peggy’s worry, took her hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. Peggy gave her a faint smile.

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**The Schuyler sisters!**

“The Schuyler sisters…” Angelica whispered happily, wrapping her arm around Peggy, who was still holding Maria’s hand. 

**[Angelica:]**

**Angelica!**

**[Peggy:]**

**Peggy!**

**[Eliza:]**

**Eliza!**

**[Company:]**

**Work!**

**[Peggy:]**

**Daddy said to be home by sundown**

**[Angelica:]**

**Daddy doesn't need to know**

“Angelica!” Catherine gave her daughter a stern look.

**[Peggy:]**

**Daddy said not to go downtown**

**[Eliza:]**

**Like I said, you're free to go**

“Girls!” Catherine huffed, more outwardly annoyed than her husband, who just looked vaguely disappointed.

**[Angelica:]**

**But look around, look around**

**The revolution's happening in New York**

**[Eliza/Peggy:]**

**New York**

**[Company:]**

**Angelica**

**[Schuyler Sisters and company:]**

**Work!**

**[Peggy:]**

**It's bad enough daddy wants to go to war**

Peggy smiled sadly. “Yeah, I really didn’t like that.”

**[Eliza:]**

**People shouting in the square**

Laf chuckled. “That’s probably us.” 

**[Peggy:]**

**It's bad enough there'll be violence on our shore**

Aaron smiled faintly to himself. He didn’t particularly like that either, and he was glad Peggy seemed to have some common sense when it came to war.

**[Angelica:]**

**New ideas in the air**

“Democracy has been around since ancient Greece, but okay,” Emilia muttered.

**[Angelica and Male Ensemble:]**

**Look around, look around**

**[Eliza:]**

**Angelica, remind me what we're looking for…**

**[All men:]**

**She's lookin' for me!**

“Ha!” Angelica rolled her eyes, giving Lafayette and Hercules not so subtle contemptuous looks for their screen self’s behavior.

**[Angelica (Company):]**

**Eliza, I'm lookin' for a mind at work (Work, work!)**

Angelica grinned. They’d captured her type, as it were, when it came to a romantic partner perfectly. 

(She honestly wouldn’t care if it was a woman, but that was rather unrealistic for her to go for)

**I'm lookin' for a mind at work! (Work, work!)**

**I'm lookin' for a mind at work! (Work, work!)**

**Whooaaaaa!**

**[Eliza/Angelica/Peggy:]**

**Whooaaaaa!**

**Work!**

**[Burr:]**

**Wooh!**

Startling most people, Emilia stood up and moved to be facing the sofas, facing away from the screen.

**There's nothin' like summer in the city**

**Someone in a rush next to someone lookin' pretty**

Much to Peggy’s amusement, Emilia began singing along with the music, zeroing in on Angelica.

**Excuse me, miss, I know it's not funny**

**But your perfume smells like your daddy's got money**

Most people were either laughing, albeit quiet or internally, or giving Emilia weird looks.

**Why you slummin' in the city in your fancy heels**

**You searching for an urchin who can give you ideals?**

Angelica had to contain a snicker at how much Emilia was digging into the impromptu role. Even if she didn’t like people flirting with her, especially with bad pick up lines like Burr, somehow she didn’t mind it nearly as much coming from Emilia. 

**[Angelica:]**

**Burr, you disgust me**

“Burr, you disgust me,” Angelica said, only to blink in surprise when she mirrored her screen counterpart.

**[Burr:]**

**Ah, so you've discussed me**

**I'm a trust fund, baby, you can trust me!**

Emilia  _ reeealllly _ dug into that last line before winking at Angelica and sitting back down. The rest of the Burr and Schuyler families were giving her stranges looks, but she just gave a shamelessly half-smile half-smirk, eyes twinkling with amusement.

**[Angelica:]**

**I've been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine**

“I’ve read that book,” Mattie said, her face displaying her interest “It’s quite good”

“Fun fact,” Emilia piped in “In proportion to population, that book has the largest sale and circulation of any book in American history, and I believe it’s still in print today.”

**So men say that I'm intense or I'm insane**

“What, because you’re educated and have ideas?”

“Basically”

**You want a revolution? I want a revelation**

**So listen to my declaration:**

**[Eliza/Angelica/Peggy:]**

**"We hold these truths to be self-evident**

**That all men are created equal"**

Jefferson perked up, recognizing the words he’d written in the declaration. Next to him, Patsy’s attention had also been grabbed.

**[Angelica:]**

**And when I meet Thomas Jefferson**

Said man raised an eyebrow.

**[Company:]**

**Unh!**

**[Angelica:]**

**I'mma compel him to include women in the sequel!**

“There actually was a sequel,” said Emilia before Jefferson could make any inane comment.

Angelica’s eyes widened in surprise. “Actually?”

Emilia nodded “Yep. It was published in 1848 and written by a woman named Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Its opening is modeled after the original declaration and was signed by 68 women and 32 men at the Seneca Falls convention, creatively named because it was held in Seneca Falls, New York.”

Burr Jr’s brow furrowed. “Only 32 men? That’s...not a lot. Why didn’t more sign it?”

Emilia shrugged “Because male privilege? Maybe they feared losing their status or influence in supporting women’s rights. That, or they just didn’t care.”

“But that’s…”

“Ridiculous? Yeah, it is.”

“What exactly made this declaration different?” asked Sarah. “Because it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot.”

“Right. Basically, there were 16 listed sentiments, noting how women can’t vote, how, once married, their husband controls all their finances, how there’s limited access to education for them, no influence in the affairs of the church, things like that. We can talk about this in more detail later.”

**[Women:]**

**Work!**

**[Eliza:]**

**Look around, look around at how**

**Lucky we are to be alive right now!**

Dolley smiled. Eliza was absolutely right. It was such an incredible time to witness, what with the birth of a nation, the expulsion of an entire monarchial system.

**[Eliza/Peggy:]**

**Look around, look around at how**

**Lucky we are to be alive right now!**

**[Eliza/Angelica/Peggy:]**

**History is happening in Manhattan and we just happen to be**

**In the greatest city in the world!**

“Charleston is obviously better.” The only thing Henry got for that comment was a bunch of vague scowls from the native New Yorkers.

**[Schuyler Sisters and Company:]**

**In the greatest city in the world!**

**[Angelica (Eliza/Peggy) {men}:]**

**'Cause I've been reading Common Sense by Thomas Paine (Look around, look around) {Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!}**

**So men say that I'm intense or I'm insane (The revolution's happening in) {Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!}**

**[Angelica (Eliza/Peggy) {women}:]**

**You want a revolution? I want a revelation (New York! In New York!) {Look around, look around the revolution's happening}**

**So listen to my declaration:**

“Woah…” Adrienne was both impresses and slightly overwhelmed with all the overlapping voices, and when she looked around it seemed she wasn’t alone.

**[Angelica/Eliza/Peggy (Women Ensemble):]**

**We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal (Look around, look around)**

**Whoo! (At how lucky we are to be alive right now)**

**[Full Company:]**

**Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!**

**History is happening in Manhattan and we just happen to be**

**[All women:]**

**In the greatest city in the world**

Esther and Aaron Sr both sniffed, but didn’t argue, as New Jersey didn’t really have any cities to speak of.

**[All men:]**

**In the greatest city**

**[Company:]**

**In the greatest city in the world!**

“You bet it is!” Emilia grinned over at who spoke, which happened to be Catherine.

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**[Angelica:]**

**Angelica!**

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**[Eliza:]**

**Eliza!**

**[Peggy:]**

**And Peggy!**

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**[Angelica/Eliza/Peggy:]**

**The Schuyler sisters!**

**[Company:]**

**Work, work!**

**[Angelica/Eliza/Peggy (Company):]**

**We're looking for a mind at work! (Work, work!)**

**Hey! (Work, work!)**

**Hey! (Work, work!)**

**[Eliza/Peggy {Angelica} (Company):]**

**Hey! (Work, work!)**

**{Whoa!} (Work, work!) (Work, work!)**

**In the greatest city (Work, work!)**

**{In the greatest} City in the world {City in the world}**

“That note though,” Peggy whispered to Maria, who nodded. 

**[Company:]**

**In the greatest city in the world!**


	7. Farmer Refuted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic Used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDJ-ixhFGJE&list=PL4xgC_F6skl2mosy-ODq3a6HJy1nv3HGv&index=6&t=0s

**_“Farmer Refuted”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Seabury:]**

**Hear ye, hear ye! My name is Samuel Seabury**

The members of the Hamilsquad, including Aaron, all groaned.

“Not this guy. He’s so annoying.” Hercules eyed the ceiling with displeasure.

John grimaced. “Tell me about it.”

**And I present "Free Thoughts on the Proceedings of the Continental Congress!"**

**Heed not the rabble who scream revolution**

**They have not your interests at heart**

Almost everyone rolled their eyes.

**[Mulligan:]**

**Oh my God. Tear this dude apart**

Rachel tilted her head. “What on earth did he do to deserve that reaction?”

Lafayette cringed. “He was against the revolution”

Rachel just looked sort of confused but accepted the mediocre explanation.

**[Seabury:]**

**Chaos and bloodshed**

It was so quick Dolley almost missed it, but when she saw the King appear, she glared.

**are not a solution**

**Don't let them lead you astray**

**This Congress does not speak for me**

**[Burr:]**

**Let him be**

Courtney really hoped he would. He didn’t  _ have _ to pick a fight with this guy.

James shook his head and sighed. “Like that's ever going to happen.”

**[Seabury:]**

**They're playing a dangerous game**

**I pray the king shows you his mercy**

**_Hamilton: Hello naughty children, its murder time._ **

“Frickin gremlin,” Emilia muttered.

**_Burr: My god he’s gonna kill him_ **

Esther and Aaron Sr both had similar expressions to their son.

Everyone else had to control their snickers.

**For shame, for shame…**

**[Hamilton (Seabury):]**

**Yo!**

**He'd have you all unravel at the (Heed not the rabble)**

**Sound of screams but the (Who scream)**

**Revolution is comin' (Revolution, they)**

“Whoa....” Almost simultaneously, everyone reached for and opened their playbills, which helpfully displayed the lyrics.

**The have-nots are gonna (Have not your)**

**Win this (Interests)**

**It's hard to listen to you with a straight face (At heart)**

Tapping nodded. He might not entirely like Alexander, but Seabury was much more annoying.

**Chaos and bloodshed already haunt us**

**(Chaos and bloodshed are not a)**

**Honestly, you shouldn't even talk (Solution)**

**And what about Boston?**

Washington nodded. Esther, Eleanor, and Aaron Sr all just looked confused.

“What does he mean by that?” asked Esther.

Emilia tilted her head in confusion before eyes widened with realization. “Oohhh, right. Some of you wouldn’t know about all that stuff. All right!” she clapped her hands together excitedly. “History lesson time!”

She cleared her throat before continuing. “Ok, so. The colonies started disliking the british rule because they were being taxed without representation, right? Well, several events happened in Boston that kind of accelerated and boosted this hatred. 

“The first event occurred in 1770, and was known as the Boston Massacre, even though there were only five casualties. What made it so influential was how heavily publicized it was by people like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. The next major event is known as the Boston tea party. Basically, in 1773 a group of patriots, people on the side of revolution, dressed up as Native American, boarding a british ship, and dumped the tea into the harbor in retaliation for the most recent tax levied on them.”

“What a waste of tea,” Eleanor shook her head.

Emilia shrugged. “It was about 340 crates of tea valued around 18,000 dollars for you, and over one million dollars in my time due to inflation.”

Maria looked surprised. “I knew it was a lot, but I didn’t think it was worth nearly that much money” 

Emilia nodded. “Oh, and the event that most consider to be the official start of the revolution occurred in 1775, just outside of Boston in the towns of Lexington and Concord. The shot heard around the world, as it is known, refers to the opening shot that signified the start of the American Revolution.”

“We’ve come so far, we can’t afford to lose now.”

Emilia just nodded with everyone else at Washington's words, her expression not giving any clues as to the outcome that she obviously knew. Washington wanted to ask her, but there was no guarantee that she would tell him if he did, and he also wasn’t sure he really wanted to know.

**Look at the cost, n' all that we've lost n' you talk (Don't let them lead you astray)**

**About Congress?! (This Congress does not speak for me)**

**My dog speaks more eloquently than thee!**

Peggy snorted. “He doesn’t even have a dog.”

**(They're playing a dangerous game)**

**But strangely, your mange is the same**

Most people laughed to some degree, though some just smiled or smirked.

**(I pray the king shows you his mercy)**

**Is he in Jersey?**

The Burrs all gasped dramatically, particularly Esther and Aaron Sr, though they were just as amused as the rest of the room, who were laughing.

**(For shame)**

**For the revolution!**

**(For shame!)**

**[Company:]**

**For the revolution!**

**[Seabury:]**

**Heed**

**[Hamilton:]**

**If you repeat yourself again I'm gonna**

**_Hamilton: Stfu_ **

“He’s persistent, that's for sure,” Mattie said, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. Angelica nodded in agreement.

“Whats..stfu mean?” Sally asked

“It stands for shut the fuck up.”

“...Fitting.”

**[Seabury/Hamilton:]**

**Scream**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Honestly, look at me, please don't read!**

**_Hamilton: Dude just give up lmao_ **

“Please,” muttered Church.

“Lmao?” Patsy looked over to Emilia. “What’s that mean?”

“It means laughing my ass off.”

“But why. Why are these phrases shortened to a string of letters?”

“Just so you know, that's called an *acronym, and it was used to shorten things, particularly for texting. It's a way to send particular phrases quickly, and to simplify names of big organizations. They’re fun.”

**[Seabury:]**

**Not your interests**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Don't modulate the key then not debate with me!**

**Why should a tiny island across the sea regulate the price of tea?**

**“** It shouldn’t,” Martha said

“Not without a say, no.”

**[Burr:]**

**Alexander, please!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Burr, I'd rather be divisive than indecisive, drop the niceties**

Sally, Theodosia, Tapping, Esther, Burr Sr, and Madison all glared with varying degrees of intensity.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Silence! A message from the King!**

“Seabury looks so smug,” Peggy whispered to Maria, who snickered.

**A message from the King!**

**_Burr: u ok?_ **

**_Hamilton: ye_ **

Rachel was glad Aaron had taken the time to check on her son. 

**[Full Company:]**

**A message from the King!**

Emilia did her best to contain her smirk, excited to see how they’d react to the iconic next song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *the word Acronym wasn’t used/”invented” in English until the 1940’s
> 
> Also, I posted a one-shot based off the folk song Katyusha, if you want to check that out.


	8. You'll Be Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yFpVZqsPaI

The next song had queued up on the screen, but before it could start playing, there was a loud pop, startling everyone. 

“What-”

“Over there.”

Marty had been the one to point out a door that Emilia was pretty sure hadn’t been there before, and happened to be glowing slightly around the edges.

_ “Sorry for the interruption, but we thought it might be fun to have a special guest just for this song.” _

The door opened and a girl stepped out. She seemed to be about Emilia’s age, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and an athletic build that suggested she might do a sport of some kind. Emilia’s favorite thing, however, was her sweater that said: _ It’s a Hamilton thing, you wouldn’t understand. _

_ “She won’t be here for long, but have fun!” _

The voice went away, and the girl looked around, her eyes curious but distrustful.

“Who are you?” Her gaze went to Emilia, possibly because she was wearing similar clothes.

Emilia stepped forward. “I’m Emilia Burr. It’s a pleasure to meet you, uh..”

“Katelyn Black.” Katelyn, as she was now known, accepted the offer of a handshake. “And why am I here?”

“It appears you’ve joined us on our mission to change the future.”

Kate’s head tilted and she frowned. ‘But I thought  _ I  _ was already doing that?”

“Really?” Emilia’s brow furrowed.

“Yeah, but my group is uh… a lot smaller.”

Emilia raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, the voice did say you’d only be here for one song, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“I suppose not. Anyway, who do you have here? I’m curious to see which people overlap.”

As per Katelyn’s request, they went around the room, giving their names and year if it wasn’t 1781. 

“Huh.” To her credit, Kate didn’t seem overly surprised about who was present. “So,” she turned to Emilia. “A Burr, huh? What’s that like?” 

The girl shrugged. “Pretty normal, I guess. Anyway, you mentioned you were already doing a thing to change the future, right? Am I correct in assuming you are also watching Hamilton?”

Kate nodded. “Yep, we just finished One Last Time (Reprise), so uh, yeah.”

Emilia winced slightly in sympathy. “Oof. Anyways, we just got done with Farmer Refuted.”

Katelyn grinned. “Does that mean what I think it does?”

Emilia returned the grin full force. “I do believe so.”

_ “I’m glad you’re getting along so well. Now, if you would take your seats, we can continue.” _

Since Emilia was at the very end of the arc of couches, it was easy for the Universe to pop a chair down for Katelyn. As such, she was only really sitting next to Emilia.

**_“You’ll Be Back”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

“Oh, so it's an animatic version?” Katelyn turned to Emilia, a slight grin on her face.

“Yep!”

“Have they all been Szin?”

“Except for the first song, so far, yes.”

“She’s such a talented animator, isn’t she?”

“She really is.”

**[King George:]**

**You say**

**The price of my love's not a price that you're willing to pay**

**You cry**

**In your tea which you hurl in the sea when you see me go by**

“Ah, is that supposed to reference the Boston tea party you mentioned?” asked Burr Sr.

“Yep”

**Why so sad?**

**Remember we made an arrangement when you went away**

**Now you're making me mad**

“Oh no,” said Adrienne, face completely deadpan.

“Whatever shall we do?” continued Katelyn, just as dryly. Emilia smirked.

**Remember, despite our estrangement, I'm your man**

**You'll be back,**

“Yeah... no.” Theodosia wrinkled her nose in disdain.

**soon you'll see**

**You'll remember you belong to me**

“Uh, no we don’t.” Laurens maked a face, looking rather like he’d sucked on a lemon.

**You'll be back, time will tell**

**You'll remember that I served you well**

“Also no.” Elizabeth snorted. Even if her uncle was a redcoat, she herself had never really felt much loyalty to the crown.

**Oceans rise, empires fall**

Katelyn leaned over to Emilia. “Ever noticed how the notes go down on ‘rise’ and up on ‘fall’?”

Emilia gave her a knowing half-smirk.

**We have seen each other through it all**

**And when push comes to shove**

**I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love!**

“What a guy!”

“Amazing!”

Emilia and Kate both pretended to swoon, flopping back dramatically, and Emilia had an arm draped across her forehead.

**Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da**

**Da da dat dat da ya da!**

Both girls started dancing in their seats. Though they received some strange looks, they were either completely oblivious to them, or just didn’t care.

**Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da**

Unlike pretty much everyone else, who were just enjoying the song, Sarah and Aaron were cringing slightly. The fact that they were making fun of the English King so easily, with no fear of repercussion, made them kind of uncomfortable.

**Da da dat dat da…**

**You say our love is draining and you can't go on**

“That note thought,” said Courney.

“That is the power of Jonathan Groff,” replied Katelyn, nodding sagely. Emilia did the same.

**You'll be the one complaining when I am gone…**

Philip scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

**And no, don't change the subject**

Both Aaron and Sarah flinched a little. Though it wasn’t too obvious, Theodosia and Tapping still noticed. And unbeknownst to any of those four, some of the “parent group” (as it were) had as well. It might not have caused any concern had precisely zero other people reacted quite like that.

**'Cause you're my favorite subject**

**My sweet, submissive subject**

Angelica frowned. There had been far too many times men had expected her to bow to their will. But she never did, and never would. Subservience just wasn’t in her nature, and if they couldn’t handle that, then too bad. 

**_Young Guard: May I ask what the king is doing with the US flag?_ **

**_Older Guard: Ah, you see young rookie_ **

**My loyal, royal subject**

Hercules rolled his eyes.

**_Older Guard: You don’t question it because the king will cut your head off_ **

Emilia leaned over to whisper to Katelyn “Robepierre cut everyone’s heads off, until someone got mad and cut his head off. You could make a reli-”

“No don’t”

Both girls giggled quietly.

**_Young guard: But he’s kissing it_ **

**_Older Guard: What did I_ ** **_just_ ** **_say_ **

Katelyn sniggerd.

**Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever…**

**You'll be back like before**

**I will fight the fight and win the war**

“BuT yOu DiDn’T”

If Emilia cared at all about the looks she was receiving, it didn’t show. However, Angelica suspected that the young Burr genuinely didn’t care what people thought of her.

**For your love, for your praise**

**And I'll love you till my dying days**

**When you're gone, I'll go mad**

Emilia snorted. “Funnily enough, he did actually go kind of insane toward the end of his life. His son had to be instated as Prince Regent until his death.”

Mattie gave her a curious look. “Really?”

Emilia nodded. “Yeah. His mental health was bad enough that he was deemed unable to rule, so his son did so in his place, at least until his father's death and he was properly coronated.”

**So don't throw away this thing we had**

**'Cause when push comes to shove**

**I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love**

Almost in unison, all grouped family members and couples drew together. John felt Marty lean against him, and Mattie reached over her to grab his hand.

Tapping put an arm protectively around his wife. Theodosia, as subtly as she could, scooted a bit closer to Aaron.

Lafayette gently pulled Adrienne closer to him. Elizabeth simply glared.

Angelica pulled Peggy close, and Emilia gave Maria’s hand a squeeze, seeing her having shrunk back in her seat.

Patsy leaned into Thomas’s side, catching Madison doing something similar out of the corner of her eye, though it wasn’t quite as obvious.

Martha squeezed her husband's hand.

**Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da**

**Da da dat dat da ya da!**

**Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da**

**Da da dat—**

**Everybody!**

Anyone who didn’t have a stick up their ass joined Emilia and Kate in their singing.

**[Full Ensemble:]**

**Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da**

**Da da dat dat da ya da!**

**Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da da da da**

**Dat dat da ya da!**

After the song finished, the next song showed up, but didn’t start playing.

**”** _ Considering Katelyn will only be here for a little while longer, would you and Emilia be up for performing a song?” _

Kate and Emilia exchanged looks, before simultaneously grinning wickedly. 

“What song are you thinking?”

Emilia smirked, and whispered something in Kate’s ear.

“Oh my god, yes.”

“How do you want to divide up the roles?”

_ “Let me help with that. There, now you each know what you’ll be singing and doing. Are you ready?” _

“I believe so.”

_ “Oh before I forget, I think you’ll want these.” _

There was a pop, and a few items appeared on the tables, that being two pairs or sunglasses, which Emilia had to take off her actual glasses to wear, two microphones, and two white ruffle collars, which they helped each other put on.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Jumping in without context, huh?”

“That's the best way to do it.”

They positioned themselves, and the lights dimmed.

**[Emilia]**

**Welcome to the house**

**[Both]**

**To the Haus of Holbein**

The funny German accent and flashing lights caught the revolutionaries off guard. What also interested them was the fact that the sunglasses and white ruffle collars were glowing a fluorescent green under the blueish purple light.

**Ja, ooh ja, das ist gut**

**Ooh ja, ja**

**The Haus of Holbein**

**[Kate]**

**Hans Holbein goes around the world**

**[Emilia]**

**Painting all of the beautiful girls**

“John Trumbull, anyone?”

**[Kate]**

**From Spain**

**[Emilia]**

**To France**

Emilia winked at the Lafayettes as she said this. 

**[Kate]**

**And Germany**

**[Emilia]**

**The king chooses one**

**[Both]**

**But which one will it be?**

**[Kate]**

**You bring the corsets**

**[Emilia]**

**We'll bring the cinches**

**[Kate]**

**No one wants a waist over nine inches**

Kate made her voice sound strained as she said this. Angelica snorted, as did many of the other women.

**[Emilia]**

**So what, the makeup contains lead poison?**

Peggy sighed. At least now there were fewer cosmetics that were lead based. She herself didn’t wear it very often anyway.

**[Kate]**

**At least your complexion will bring all the boys in**

**[Both]**

**Ignore the fear and you'll be fine**

**We'll turn this vier into a nine**

**So just say "ja" and don't say "nein"**

**[Emilia]**

**'Cause now you're in the house**

Angelica blinked as she suddenly remembered where she’d heard of this guy. Heck, she’d seen some of his works sketched in the books she read. Most famously, Hans Holbein the younger had painted portraits of King Henry Vlll and three of his wives. 

**[Both]**

**In the Haus of Holbein**

**Ja, ooh ja, das ist gut**

**Ooh ja, ja**

**The Haus of Holbein**

**[Emilia]**

**We must make sure the princesses look great**

**When their time comes for a Holbein portrait**

**[Kate]**

**We know what all the best inventions are**

**To hold everything up**

Most people felt vaguely uncomfortable with Emilia’s hand hovering over Kate's chest, but neither girl seemed bothered.

**[Emilia]**

**Ja, it's wunderbar**

Peggy snorted. The German language was being used very cleverly.

**[Kate]**

**For blonder hair, then you just add a magical ingredient from your bladder**

“Gross!” Dolleys scrunched her nose in disgust.

**[Emilia]**

**Try these heels, so high it's naughty**

**[Both]**

**But we cannot guarantee that you'll still walk at forty**

Most people laughed in some capacity at that.

**Ignore the fear and you'll be fine**

**We'll turn this vier into a nine**

**So just say "ja" and don't say "nein"**

**[Kate]**

**'Cause now you're in the house**

**[Both]**

**In the Haus of Holbein**

**Ooh ja, das ist gut**

**Ooh ja, ja**

**The Haus of Holbein**

When the song was finished, and the lights came back on, both girls took a bow. It took a moment, but once Esther started clapping, there was a decent round of applause.

“Ok, what just happened?” Adrienne, though she’d enjoyed the performance, was still a little confused.

“Right. So, basically that was a song from another musical called SIx, which is about the six wives of Henry the eighth. The song you just heard is a transition song called Haus of Holbein. Bit of a trip fest, isn’t it?” Emilia said, still breathing a little heavy from performing.

“Uh, yeah.”

“So...what now?” asked Katelyn. 

_ “Unfortunately, it's about time for Katelyn to go. I hope you ladies had fun!” _

“Aww.”

Both Kate and Emilia looked a little disappointed, but acquiesced to the order. Before exiting through the door she’d come through, Kate gave Emilia a hug.

“It's been fun.”

And then she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, SO
> 
> I apologize if the random OC or SiX song insert caught anyone off guard. However! Katelyn isn't just any OC, she belongs to Fiorite4, who I collaborated with on this chapter and Blow Us All Away over on her Hamilton Reacts! fic. Go give her some love
> 
> Also, the Hamilfilm is amazing, just saying.


	9. Right Hand Man

**_“RIght Hand Man”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

To everyone's confusion, Emilia paused the video.

“Ok, so, I just wanted to say that I think we should take a break after this next song.”

“I'm fine with that, but why?” 

Emilia turned to Sarah. “Well...ok, this might be a little hard to explain, but this next song might be kinda upsetting to some of you.”

“How so,” asked Patsy, faint concern laced in her expression.

“Well, umm, as I said, it's kinda hard to explain, but it might trigger PTSD in some of you.”

“Um, what? PTSD?” Maria looked understandably confused.

“That stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Even if this term isn’t familiar to you, many of you would likely recognize the symptoms, as it's similar to what you’d probably call nostalgia. PTSD can have all sorts of causes, from surviving a natural disaster, being abuse as a child, sexual assault and rape, watching someone die, espscially a loved one.” Her eyes flickered from James to Aaron and Sarah, Maria, and Washington. “And what most of you will be familiar with, war, and fighting in one.”

Most people made noises of realization, though some of the soldiers looked a little pale. 

“Symptoms may include anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks-“

“Ok, I think we get the point, Emilia.” Washington said, seeing the uncomfortable expressions on his soldiers' faces.

She shrugged. “Perhaps, but I’m telling you so this doesn’t cause any more harm then it needs to. It’s not your fault, okay?”

**[Company:]**

**British Admiral Howe's got troops on the water**

**Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor**

Washington grimaced. No wonder Emilia had tried to warn them. Looking around, it seemed most of his soldiers had come to the same conclusion.

**[Ensemble 1 (Ensemble 2):]**

**Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor**

“Thirty two thousand…” Theodosia shook her head in wonder. She’d heard stories, of course, but she didn’t think she could ever fully comprehend that many troops.

**(Thirty-two thousand troops in New York harbor)**

**When they surround our troops!**

**(They surround our troops!)**

**When they surround our troops!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**As a kid in the Caribbean I wished for a war**

“But why…” Rachel couldn’t fathom why her son would want that.

**I knew that I was poor**

**I knew it was the only way to**

**[Hamilton/Burr/Mulligan/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**Rise up!**

Aaron grimaced. He really didn’t want it to seem like he was agreeing with Hamilton. He thought Alexander was simply too reckless for his own good, end of discussion.

**[Hamilton:]**

**If they tell my story**

**I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or**

“Not on my watch,” Washington muttered. He thought of Alexander as his son, and there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

**[Hamilton/Burr/Mulligan/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**Rise up!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I will fight for this land**

**But there's only one man**

**Who can give us a command so we can—**

Immediately, all the soldiers' eyes went to their general.

**[Hamilton/Burr/Mulligan/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**Rise up!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Understand? It's the only way to**

**[Hamilton/Burr/Mulligan/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**Rise up! Rise up!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Here he comes!**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Burr:]**

**Ladies and gentlemen!**

Aaron groaned quietly, putting his head in his hands. Why did he have to be the narrator?

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Burr:]**

**The moment you've been waiting for!**

Dolley nodded in excitement. She’d heard stories, of course, but she was interested to see how this musical would portray the general.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Burr:]**

**The pride of Mount Vernon!**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Burr:]**

**George Washington!**

Washington looked just about ready to die from mortification, much to Martha’s amusement.

**[Washington (Ensemble):]**

**We are outgunned (What?)**

**Outmanned (What?)**

**Outnumbered**

**Outplanned (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!)**

“That's not terrifying at all,” Peggy said, somewhat sarcastically though there was a hint of fear there as well.

**We gotta make an all out stand**

**Ayo, I'm gonna need a right-hand man (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!)**

**[Washington:]**

**Check it**

**Can I be real a second?**

**For just a millisecond?**

**Let down my guard and tell the people how I feel a second?**

“Of course, sir!” Laf said cheerfully, hoping to lighten the mood even a little.

**Now I'm the model of a modern major general**

**The venerated Virginian veteran whose men are all**

**Lining up, to put me up on a pedestal**

**Writin' letters to relatives**

**Embellishin' my elegance and eloquence**

Esther had heard many stories about General Washington, ranging from realistic to fantastical. She’d never met the man personally until now, but she was interested to see how he’d be portrayed.

**But the elephant is in the room**

**The truth is in ya face when ya hear the British cannons go…**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Boom!**

All of the soldiers immediately jumped at the sudden cannon sound that was just a little too realistic for comfort.

Emilia, meanwhile, had to quietly snicker at Washington’s face on screen.

**[Washington:]**

**Any hope of success is fleeting**

**How can I keep leading when the people I'm**

**Leading keep retreating?**

**We put a stop to the bleeding as the British take Brooklyn**

**Knight takes rook, but look**

**[Washington (Ensemble):]**

**We are outgunned (What?)**

**Outmanned (What?)**

**Outnumbered**

**Outplanned (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!)**

**We gotta make an all out stand**

**Ayo, I'm gonna need a right-hand man (Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck!)**

**Incoming!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**They're battering down the Battery check the damages**

**[Mulligan:]**

**Rah!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**We gotta stop 'em and rob 'em of their advantages**

**[Mulligan:]**

**Rah!**

Hercules tried to hold in his laughter. “What are these noises?”

**[Hamilton:]**

**Let's take a stand with the stamina God has granted us**

Burr Sr nodded slightly in approval. 

**Hamilton won't abandon ship**

**Yo, let's steal their cannons**

Rachel gasped. “They did not!”

“Oh yes they did.” Emilia said, causing Rachel to put her head in her hands.

**[Mulligan (Company):]**

**Shh-boom! (Boom!)**

Again, all the soldiers jumped at the noise. It was hard to tell if the canon sounds were actually louder than before, but it certainly seemed like it.

**[Washington:]**

**Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray and…**

**[Company:]**

**Boom!**

Lafayette clung to Adrienne's arm. She wrapped her arms around him, but she felt completely helpless, unsure what else to do. She rubbed her husband's back as the song continued.

Hercules had his eyes screwed shut. Elizabeth squeezed his hand, but beyond that she wasn’t sure what else to do. She locked eyes with Adrienne, who looked just as clueless as she felt.

**[Washington:]**

**Goes the cannon, we're abandonin' Kips Bay and…**

**[Company:]**

**Boom!**

Everyone was startled a bit when there was a very noticeable yelp. John, somehow, had fallen out of his seat and ended up on the floor.

“You know what? I’ll just… stay here. This is fine,” he said, sinking to the ground so he was now laying on his back.

Marty and Mattie both gave him concerned looks but didn’t comment.

Henry and Eleanor exchanged worried glances. 

Martha patted her husband's hand, looking a little more sure of herself then the others.

**[Washington:]**

**There's another ship and…**

**[Company:]**

**Boom!**

Aaron clenched the fabric of his pants, nails nearly digging into his skin. Theodosia desperately wanted to help, but she also didn’t want to risk whatever this was getting worse. In lieu of potentially better options, she shifted to be crouching in front of Aaron. She gently loosened his grip enough so she could take his hands in hers. And if her circulation got partially cut off? So be it.

Sarah couldn’t help feeling rather useless at the moment. Here she was, her brother on the verge of a panic attack, and she wasn’t even the one helping him. She couldn’t be mad with Theodosia, that would be ridiculous, but she did find it strange how naturally Theodosia seemed to find comforting her brother.

**[Washington:]**

**We just lost the southern tip and…**

**[Company:]**

**Boom!**

Emilia watched on with no small amount of concern, glad that the canon sounds were over for now.

**[Washington:]**

**We gotta run to Harlem quick, we can't afford another slip**

**Guns and horses giddyup**

**I decide to divvy up**

Everyone heaved visible sighs of relief as Emilia paused the video.

“Is everyone okay?”

She got a few nods, but mostly nothing.

“We’ll take a break after this song is over, okay?”

**My forces, they're skittish as the British cut the city up**

**This close to giving up, facing mad scrutiny**

**I scream in the face of this mass mutiny:**

**Are these the men with which I am to defend America?**

The soldiers would have protested, but they were still too shaken from what just happened to be bothered.

**We ride at midnight, Manhattan in the distance**

**I cannot be everywhere at once, people**

**I'm in dire need of assistance…**

“I bet that’s  _ mon petit lion _ ” Laf said enthusiastically, though his voice was somewhat strained.

**[Burr:]**

**Your excellency, sir!**

**[Washington:]**

**Who are you?**

**[Burr:]**

**Aaron Burr, Sir**

**Permission to state my case?**

**[Washington:]**

**As you were**

**[Burr:]**

**Sir**

“It seems like such an obvious rhyme, now that I think about it, but its used quite effectively.” Sarah said. Her family nodded, thought her father and brother made slight faces.

**I was a captain under General Montgomery**

**Until he caught a bullet in the neck in Quebec**

‘Oh yeah, didn’t you try to carry his body from the field, but couldn’t?”

Aaron nodded at Emilia.

Sarah stared at her brother wide eyed. She hadn’t been told any of this.

**And well, in summary**

**I think that I could be of some assistance**

**I admire how you keep firing on the British**

**From a distance**

**[Washington:]**

**Huh**

**[Burr:]**

**I have some questions, a couple of suggestions on how to fight instead of fleeing west**

**[Washington:]**

**Yes?**

**[Burr:]**

**Well**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Your excellency, you wanted to see me?**

**[Washington:]**

**Hamilton, come in, have you met Burr?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes, sir**

**[Hamilton and Burr:]**

**We keep meeting**

Dolley snorted. Already she could sense the tension in their relationship. 

**[Burr:]**

**As I was saying, sir, I look forward to seeing your strategy play out**

**[Washington:]**

**Burr?**

**[Burr:]**

**Sir?**

**[Washington:]**

**Close the door on your way out**

“Wouldn’t it have been a tent?” Emilia huffed, sounding just a little annoyed. “Those don’t even have doors!”

Washington smiled faintly. He did feel kind of bad about how he’d treated Burr, but he didn't regret hiring Alexander instead.

Sarah frowned slightly, a strange feeling in her stomach. Call it what you will, but this entire interaction left her feeling on edge. Hamilton's smug face on screen didn’t help matters.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Have I done something wrong, sir?**

**[Washington:]**

**On the contrary**

**I called you here because our odds are beyond scary**

**Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sir?**

**[Washington:]**

**Hamilton, how come no one can get you on their staff?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sir!**

**[Washington:]**

**Don't get me wrong, you're a young man of great renown**

**I know you stole British cannons when we were still downtown**

**Nathaniel Greene and Henry Knox wanted to hire you…**

**[Hamilton:]**

**To be their Secretary? I don't think so**

**[Washington:]**

**And why're you upset?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I'm not**

James chuckled. Alex had never been a very good liar. 

**[Washington:]**

**It's alright, you want to fight, you've got a hunger**

**I was just like you when I was younger**

**Head full of fantasies of dyin' like a martyr?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes**

**[Washington:]**

**Dying is easy, young man**

The Burr children froze. They both knew that very well. 

A couple couches over, Marty gripped her brother's arm tightly. She’d been just a little on edge this entire time, mainly because she didn’t know what she’d do when John died. She looked over at Mattie, who looked just as troubled as her.

**Living is harder**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Why are you telling me this?**

**[Washington:]**

**I'm being honest**

**I'm working with a third of what our Congress has promised**

Jefferson muttered something that might have been a curse under his breath. As the only present and active member of the congress (Henry Laurens had retired a while ago), he was the only one who could speak for them. However, he didn’t have nearly as much control over supplies as the others might think.

**We are a powder keg about to explode**

**I need someone like you to lighten the load. So?**

**[Company except Hamilton:]**

**I am not throwin' away my shot!**

“Really, this again?”

“Yes, Patsy. It's a recurring musical theme, or leitmotif. Hamilton is riddled with them.”

**I am not throwin' away my shot!**

**Ayo, I'm just like my country**

**I'm young scrappy and hungry!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I am not throwing away my shot!**

**[Washington:]**

**Son**

Washington held back a sigh. He saw Alexander as one of his sons, and he was fairly sure Alex felt that familial relationship as well. However, Alex refused to let Washington treat him as such, perhaps because he was scared to open the door to that kind of relationship. 

His eyes flickered over to where James Hamilton Sr was sitting. It was surprising how quickly he felt his anger rising, and he quickly looked away.

Yeah, that was probably it.

**[Washington and Company:]**

**We are outgunned, outmanned!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**You need all the help you can get**

**I have some friends. Laurens,**

John smirked from his spot on the floor that he’d yet to move from, though it was a little strained.

**Mulligan**

Elizabeth smiled as her husband, who’d seemed to have recovered for the most part. 

**Marquis de Lafayette,**

The Lafayettes grinned, though, like John, Laf’s was a little strained.

**okay, what else?**

**[Washington and Company:]**

**Outnumbered, outplanned!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**We'll need some spies on the inside**

**Some King's men who might let some things slide**

Hercules grinned. It was rather obvious who that was about.

**[Hamilton (Company) {Eliza/Angelica/Peggy/Women}:]**

**(Boom!) I'll write to Congress and tell 'em we need supplies, you rally the guys {Whoa, whoa, whoa...}**

**Master the element of surprise**

**(Boom!) I'll rise above my station, organize your information,**

**_I can’t tell if this is the worst or the best decision I ever made_ **

Washington smiled slightly.

_ “I'm leaning towards best.” _

**'til we rise to the occasion of our new nation. Sir! {Whoa, whoa, whoa...}**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Rise up!**

Washington groaned as he put his head in his hands. “This again?”

Martha patted his back sympathetically.

**[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**What?**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Hamilton/Schuyler Sisters/Women:]**

**Rise up!**

**[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**What?**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Hamilton/Schuyler Sisters:]**

**Rise up!**

**[Laurens/Lafayette/Mulligan:]**

**What?**

**[Company:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**What?**

**[Washington:]**

**And his right-hand man!**

**[Company:]**

**Boom!**

The final boom startled everyone, not just the soldiers. 

Emilia, seeing the next song ready to go, grabbed the remote and paused it. “Ok, we’ll take a break before continuing the musical.”


	10. Taking a break (Prelude)

Marty gently prodded her brother with her foot. “John? John, get up.”

John just sighed before carefully pushing himself up. 

“Anyone want tea? I think there are some kettles back here.”

Emilia had gotten up before anyone else and was poking around the back cabinets, finding a kitchenette stocked with everything needed to make tea. She got several affirmatives, so she plugged her phone into the dock, playing a mix of classical music from various composers while she got the tea brewing. One by one, everyone made their way to the back of the room, which had been furnished with movable seating. They all poured themselves cups and dispersed into groups.

The Schuyler sisters were talking with Maria, Mattie, and, to her slight surprise, Church. Angelica seemed to be in a heated debate about something or other with Church, to the other three ladies' amusement, mainly because she seemed to be winning. Also of note was that Church’s cheeks appeared to be flushed. Maria and Peggy were whispering commentary to each other, occasionally exchanging thoughts with Mattie, who was watching Angelica destroy Church with rapt attention.

Patsy, Thomas, and James were conversing with two of their fellow southerners, Marty and Dolley. They seemed to be getting along fairly well, exchanging stories about living in their respective colonies. Dolley and James kept making eye contact and looking away.

James and Courtney were talking with John, Lafayette, Adrienne, Hercules, and Elizabeth. From the looks of it, James was asking every conceivable question about his brother. The others were more than happy to oblige, telling every story under the sun they could think of. They were very animated, sometimes drawing strange looks from the others just by how loud they were being.

Catherine, Philip, Rachel, Hamilton, Henry, Eleanor, Washington, and Martha were deep in conversation. The Schuylers and Washingtons were telling the Hamiltons all they knew about Alexander. Rachel seemed especially interested, though Hamilton was also paying close attention. Interestingly enough, Esther and Burr sr hadn’t joined them. 

After taking a quick glance around, Emilia spotted them hovering awkwardly a little ways away from where their children and partners were sitting. That simply wouldn’t do.

“How is everyone?” She plopped herself down next to Theodosia, startling everyone slightly. 

Sarah looked at Emilia. “We’re all doing pretty well, I believe.”

Emilia smiled. “Good to know. And hey!” She directed her voice to Esther and Burr Sr. “Why don’t you come join us!”

The couple seemed hesitant, but they made their way over and sat down.

“Now,” Emilia knew she was maybe acting just a little too perky, but no matter. “How is my lovely family enjoying the show so far?”

“It's quite good, if a little strange,” Theodosia said. 

Emilia chuckled. “I supposed it would seem a little strange to you. We haven’t even gotten to the best songs yet.”

“How many songs are there?” Esther asked.

“Somewhere around fifty-ish. We’ll probably take another short break after act one is done too.”

They lapsed into silences, sipping their tea, and it’s painfully clear that there's a conversation that needs to happen from the way Esther and Burr Sr keep looking at their children.

“I’m sorry.”

Everyone in their group turns to look at Esther.

“For what?” Sarah’s brow furrowed.

“You know, I’m not quite sure, honestly. Maybe for leaving you so early?”

Sarah’s expression softens, as does her brothers. “Oh, mother, that’s not your fault.”

Esther smiles thinly. “Perhaps, but…” She trails off, unsure of what else to say.

“To think that we'd go from seeing you only a few years old to adults.” Burr Sr says, something slightly sad in his voice, and it’s not hard to figure out why.

_ They’d missed their children's entire childhoods. _

“I am curious about a couple of things. Do you have any memories of us? And where did you go after we...after we died.” Esther looked at her children, imploring them to answer.

“Well, I for one don’t have any memories of you, I’m sorry to say,” Aaron said regretfully. 

Sarah shook her head. “Only a few vague things, stuff that I can’t say for sure wasn’t just a dream.”

Both of their parents looked down at their laps.

“As for where we went afterward,” Sarah continued. “We stayed with Grandmother Sarah for a few weeks, I think it was, before she died.”

Esther’s face fell. Her poor mother.

“And then?” Esther prompted. As much as she hated it, she needed to know what happened with her children.

“After that, we stayed with the William Shippen family for a few months. And then…”

Sarah trailed off, her face scrunching up slightly.

“What?” Burr Sr said, a tad concerned.

Aaron, sensing his sister's discomfort, picked up where she’d left off. “We moved in with Uncle Timothy, and then with Aunt Rhoda after he married her. At least until I went to college, and Sarah got married.”

“To you, right?” Burr Sr eyed Tapping, who shifted uncomfortably under the scrutinizing stare.

“Yes, sir.”

Burr Sr continued eyeing him for a moment before nodding. “I see. I can’t very well say anything against it.”

“Hey, that reminds me.” Theodosia looked at Aaron. “Didn’t you carry letters between them?”

Aaron smirked. “Indeed I did.”

“Oh really?” Esther said with a cheeky smile. “And why was that?”

“Mr.Edwards didn’t approve of the courtship, but I proved myself anyway.”

Sarah giggled. “That you did, hon, that you did.”

The conversation started to flow more naturally, and Theodosia smiled at the couples. She hoped she’d be able to marry Aaron soon. She liked Aaron’s family.

_ “Perhaps I could ask Emilia. She would know.” _

She was about to stand up and look for Emilia when-

“Alright, everyone!” Everyone stopped talking to look at Emilia, who had ended up by the kitchenette counter at some point. “We need to get back to the musical. Finish up your tea and whatever it was you were talking about, and we’ll get back to it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Timothy Edwards is an ass, thank you for coming to my TED talk.


	11. A Winter's Ball/Helpless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatics used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpW7xfCejjU  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg6UC0bVDS4

About ten minutes later, everyone was reseated. Emilia hit the play button.

**_“A Winter’s Ball”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Burr:]**

**How does the bastard, orphan, son of a whore**

James forced down a growl. “Do they really need to bring that up again?”

“It’s a bit of a recurring theme, I’m afraid,” Emilia said, flashing an apologetic smile. “If it makes you feel any better, none of those terms really hold much of the negative connotation you’re familiar with anymore. They’re all used in jest, mostly.”

**Go on and on**

**Grow into more of a phenomenon?**

**Watch this obnoxious,**

**_Hamilton: THEY HAVE BOOZE!”_ **

**_Lafayette: WHERE?!_ **

**_Hercules: THANK GOG!_ **

**_Burr: God help us all._ **

“Again with the drinking. I swear you’re all going to become alcoholics.” Catherine shook her head. 

**arrogant, loudmouth bother**

Rachel held back a sigh. She knew her son was  _ very _ outspoken, and she knew it wasn’t always appreciated. She couldn’t help but feel like that would become a problem later.

**Be seated at the right hand of the father**

**“** Did-did they just compare General Washington to God?” Burr Sr said, face pinched slightly. Washington himself wasn’t any better, face pale yet stony.

“Well...kinda..?” Emilia made a vague shrugging gesture. “Yes, they are, in one sense, comparing General Washington to God, but he is also someone who is considered a Founding Father, the group of people who helped build this country from the ground up. So it could also be that.” Emilia explained. 

Washington sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. He didn’t want people thinking of him as some divine, infallible being. He was human, he made mistakes like everyone else.

**Washington hires Hamilton right on sight**

**But Hamilton still wants to fight, not write**

John stifled a sigh. He had no doubt that Alexander, had he been here with them, would have undoubtedly asked right then and there for a command. And he was also quite sure General Washington would have refused him instantly.

In some ways, writing could be just as dangerous as being on the front lines, but it was overall a better option if you wanted to live.

**Now Hamilton's skill with a quill is undeniable**

**But what do we have in common?**

“Uh, you’re both men?” Peggy said dryly.

**We're reliable with the**

**[All men:]**

**Ladies!**

Emilia’s grin got wider as she sang along with the ensemble, throwing a fist in the air as she snapped her fingers.

**[Burr:]**

**There are so many to deflower!**

Angelica wasn’t anywhere close to amused. This was so disrespectful! Emilia even seemed to be enjoying this! She’d thought the young Burr had more self respect than that.

Speaking of, Emilia was laughing. “Honestly, that woman downing a bottle of beer is such a freaking mood.”

**[All men:]**

**Ladies!**

**[Burr:]**

**Looks! Proximity to power**

**_John: Shit, can’t relate_ **

Emilia smirked to herself. She was pretty sure no one would get that, if they even caught it. She, however, did, and she greatly appreciated all of the Lams moments Szin managed to slip into her animatics.

**[All men:]**

**Ladies!**

Dolley snorted. Sure she felt just a little disrespected, but she could take a joke, and from the way Emilia was singing along with the chorus it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously anyway.

**[Burr:]**

**They delighted and distracted him**

**Martha Washington named her feral tomcat after him!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**That's true!**

Said woman frowned. “No? It’s not?”

Laf turned to her. “But would you, if you ever got a cat?”

Martha hesitated. “...Maybe.”

**[Full Company:]**

**1780**

**[Burr:]**

**A winter's ball**

**And the Schuyler sisters are the envy of all**

Both sisters sat up straighter. Angelica had a proud look on her face, shin tilted up. She knew the power her name held, and she wasn’t afraid to use it. 

Peggy, though she had sat up straighter as well, didn’t have the same proud look her sister did. She was a Schuyler, yes, but she didn’t feel the need to flaut to her name like her sister.

**Yo, if you can marry a sister, you're rich, son**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Is it a question of if, Burr, or which one?**

Philip narrowed his eyes at screen Alexander. It didn’t escape his notice that both Eliza and Angelica were in the background. 

**[Hamilton/Burr/Laurens:]**

**Hey**

**Hey**

**Hey hey**

**_“Helpless”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Hamilton/Burr/Laurens/All women (except Eliza):]**

**Hey hey hey hey**

‘Wait, those are two separate songs?” Mattie blinked in surprise. “That was such a smooth transition.”

Emilia grinned. “Yep! There are quite a few awesome transitions in this musical.” 

**[Eliza (all women):]**

**Oh, I do I do I do I (Hey hey hey hey)**

**Dooo! Hey! (Hey hey hey hey)**

**Oh, I do I do I do I (Hey hey hey hey)**

**Dooo! Boy you got me (Hey hey hey)**

**_Peggy: She’s been like this for five hours now._ **

“She's so in love, isn’t she?” Angelica said softly, a faint smile on her face. She didn’t regret letting Alexander go, but it still stung sometimes.

**[Eliza and women:]**

**Helpless!**

**Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit**

**I'm helpless!**

**Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in 'em**

Rachel turned to the Schuylers. “Is she my son's love interest?”

Philip nodded. “They got married not that long ago.”

James grinned. “So that would make you my sisters in law,” he said, turning to Angelica and Peggy, who both nodded. 

Courtney gave both sisters a smile. They seemed like people she could get along with.

**[Eliza:]**

**I have never been the type to try and grab the spotlight**

Catherine chuckled. “She never really liked being the center of attention.” Her family nodded in agreement.

**We were at a revel with some rebels on a hot night**

“It’s crazy how stuffy that room was, despite the fact that it was the middle of winter.” Hercules said, fanning his face.

**Laughin' at my sister as she's dazzling the room**

Marty chuckled at the screen. (A/N Angelica be dabbing.)

**Then you walked in and my heart went "Boom!"**

“Ok, this is adorable,” Thomas admitted, much to his wifes amusement. 

**Tryin' to catch your eye from the side of the ballroom**

**Everybody's dancin' and the band's top volume**

**[Eliza and women:]**

**Grind to the rhythm as we wine and dine**

**[Eliza (all women):]**

**Grab my sister and whisper, "Yo, this one's mine" (Ooh)**

“Did she really?” Courtney asked, amusement lacing her voice.

“Indeed she did,” Angelica replied with a smirk. 

**My sister made her way across the room to you (Ooh)**

**And I got nervous, thinking, "What's she gonna do?" (Ooh)**

**She grabs you by the arm, I'm thinkin' "I'm through" (Ooh)**

Angelica forced down whatever emotions it was she was feeling. She knew she could have taken him for herself if she wanted. But she didn’t. She’d let Eliza have him and now she had to live with that. The only thing that made her feel less sorry for herself was the fact that they genuinely loved each other.

**Then you look back at me, and suddenly I'm...**

**Helpless!**

**Oh, look at those eyes (Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit)**

**Oh! Yeah, I'm helpless, I know**

**(Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em)**

**(I'm helpless!)**

**I'm so into you, I am so into you**

Adrienne felt a soft smile form on her face. She’d felt much the same way about Gilbert. Though they’d married very young, they were completely devoted to one another.

**(Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit)**

**(I'm helpless!)**

**I know I'm down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Where are you taking me?**

**[Angelica:]**

**I'm about to change your life**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Then by all means, lead the way**

Sarah snorted. From Alexanders tone, it seemed he’d expected something a little more  _ personal  _ to happen between them

**[Eliza:]**

**Elizabeth Schuyler**

**It's a pleasure to meet you**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Schuyler?**

**[Angelica:]**

**My sister**

**[Eliza:]**

**Thank you for all your service**

Washington smiled slightly. He was glad Eliza had acknowledged their work. Receiving recognition was what made fighting the war worth it, even if it was only a simple thank you.

**[Hamilton:]**

**If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it**

James was taken aback. “Woah, I had no idea my brother could flirt.”

Angelica nodded. ‘Oh I know. I was stunned, and I’d only just met him.”

**[Angelica:]**

**I'll leave you to it**

**[Eliza and women:]**

**One week later**

**[Eliza:]**

**I'm writin' a letter nightly**

“Take notes, John” Mattie gave her husband a pointed look. 

Eleanor looked at her confused. “Why?” 

“Because this one,” she points a finger at John. “Is notoriously bad at writing to people.”

John’s face flushed in embarrassment as his friends laughed.

**Now my life gets better, every letter that you write me**

**Laughin' at my sister, 'cause she wants to form a harem**

Aaron raised an eyebrow. He was pretty sure Angelica had more self respect than that.

Meanwhile, Emilia was busy containing her amusement. Angelica had actually written something similar in a letter to Eliza. Something like “if you were as generous as the old Romans, you would lend him to me for a little while.”

**[Angelica:]**

**I'm just sayin', if you really loved me, you would share him**

**[Eliza (all women):]**

**Ha!**

Everyone burst out laughing. That was probably the fastest they’d ever seen something be shot down.

**Two weeks later in the living room stressin' (stressin')**

**My father's stone-faced while you're asking for his blessin' (blessin')**

Philip chuckled. He’d been unsure about approving the match, seeing something in the man's eyes that made him a little uneasy, but Alexander made his daughter so happy he didn’t have the heart to say no. They were a good couple.

**I'm dying inside, as you wine and dine**

Elizabeth sniggered at the completely unimpressed look on screen Mr.Schuylers face.

**And I'm tryin' not to cry 'cause there's nothing that your mind can't do (Ooh)**

**My father makes his way across the room to you (Ooh)**

**I panic for a second, thinking, "We're through" (Ooh)**

**But then he shakes your hand and says, "Be true" (Ooh)**

Emilia  _ very _ carefully did not have a reaction. She wasn’t looking forward to that song.

**And you turn back to me smiling, and I'm...**

**(Hey!)**

**Helpless!**

**(Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit)**

**I'm helpless, hoo**

**(Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em I'm helpless!)**

**Yes mommy, that boy is mine**

**(Look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit)**

**(I'm helpless!)**

**Helpless!**

**Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Eliza, I don't have a dollar to my name**

**An acre of land, a troop to command, a dollop of fame**

**All I have's my honor, a tolerance for pain**

**A couple of college credits and my top-notch brain**

**Insane, your family brings out a different side of me**

**Peggy confides in me, Angelica tried to take a bite of me**

Dolley, even though she was on a separate couch, still scooted away from Angelica, leaning into Patsy’s side.

**No stress, my love for you is never in doubt**

**We'll get a little place in Harlem and we'll figure it out**

**I've been livin' without a family since I was a child**

**My father left,**

Hamilton shrunk back in his seat a little as several people glared at him, the strongest being from Washington. Next to him Rachel just sighed wearily.

**my mother died,**

Rachel shivered. She already knew she’d died by this time, but it didn’t make hearing about it any easier.

**I grew up buckwild**

**But I'll never forget my mother's face, that was real**

James placed a hand on his mother's shoulder. He never forgot about her either.

**And long as I'm alive, Eliza, swear to God**

**You'll never feel so…**

**[Hamilton (Eliza) {all women}:]**

**{Helpless!} (I do I do I do I do!) Eliza...**

**{Helpless!} (I do I do I do I do!) I've never felt so**

**{Helpless!} (Hey, yeah, yeah!)**

**{Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em}**

**(Down for the count and I'm)**

**My life is gon' be fine 'cause Eliza's in it {Helpless!}**

Peggy nodded. “You bet it is! Eliza is the best.”

**(I look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit)**

**{Helpless!}**

**(I'm) {Helpless!}**

**{Down for the count and I'm drownin' in 'em}**

**[*wedding march plays*]**

**[All women:]**

**In New York you can be a new man**

**In New York you can be a new man**

**In New York you can be a new man**

**[Eliza:]**

**Helpless**


	12. Satisfied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pR-PeeRYVc

**_“Satisfied”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Laurens:]**

**Alright, alright. That's what I'm talkin' about!**

**Now everyone give it up for the maid of honor**

**Angelica Schuyler!**

“The best maid of honor,” Peggy said gently, squeezing her sister's hand.

**[Angelica (all men) {all women}:]**

**A toast to the groom!**

**(To the groom!)**

**(To the groom!)**

**{(To the groom!)}**

**To the bride!**

**{To the bride!}**

**(To the bride!)**

**{To the bride!}**

**From your sister**

**(Angelica!)**

**(Angelica!)**

**{(Angelica!)}**

**Who is always by your side**

Angelica nodded firmly. Ever since she was little, she’d vowed to be there for her sisters, to choose them over anything or anyone else. And she had, every time.

**(By your side)**

**{By your side}**

**To your union**

**{(To the union!)}**

**{(To the revolution!)}**

“Ok, which one of you said that?” Angelica turned to the soldiers who’d been at the wedding. Almost simultaneously, they all turned to Hercules.

“Really,” he deadpanned. The Schuylers all just looked unimpressed.

**And the hope that you provide**

**(You provide!)**

**{(You provide!)}**

It was a blink and you’ll miss it kind of moment, but it didn’t escape most people's notice how John didn’t look nearly as happy as his companions.

**May you always…**

**{(Always)}**

**Be satisfied**

**{(Rewind)}**

**[Recorded Samples:]**

**Rewind, rewind**

Everyone watched in confusion as screen Angelica fell through the darkness, outlines of faces appearing.

**Helpless,**

**Schuyler, Schuyler**

**Helpless**

Angelica felt her blood run cold. This couldn’t possibly be- no, it had to. There was no way it wasn’t. She was in love with her sister's husband, and everyone was about to know about it.

**Drownin' in 'em**

**Drownin', rewind**

**I remember that night, I just might (rewind)**

**I remember that night, I just might (rewind)**

**I remember that night, I remember that**

Philip’s brow furrowed when he saw the people with blotted out eyes and his eldest daughter breaking down in tears. 

He just hoped this wasn’t what he thought it was.

**[Angelica:]**

**I remember that night, I just might**

**Regret that night for the rest of my days**

“Why would you?” Mattie asked softly.

Angelica didn’t answer.

**I remember those soldier boys**

**Tripping over themselves to win our praise**

Hercules and Lafayette gave incredibly unsubtle thumbs up, only for their wives to elbow them. 

**I remember that dreamlike candlelight**

**Like a dream that you can't quite place**

**But Alexander, I'll never forget the first time I saw your face**

Peggy had to admit she wouldn’t either. Though she had no romantic interest in him, or in any man for that matter, he was still pretty unforgettable.

John, with a start, realized he and Angelica were in very similar situations.

**I have never been the same**

**Intelligent eyes in a hunger-pang frame**

Hercules remembered the day he’d met Alex. The kid had looked damned close to starving, clothes hanging off him just a little too loosely for comfort. He and Elizabeth had remedied that pretty quickly.

**And when you said, "Hi," I forgot my dang name**

**Set my heart aflame, every part aflame**

**[Full Company:]**

**This is not a game…**

“Love isn’t and shouldn’t be a game,” Emilia said, eyes blazing. Too many people didn’t realize how much work love actually was, and that it wasn’t always fun.

**[Hamilton:]**

**You strike me as a woman who has never been satisfied**

**[Angelica:]**

**I'm sure I don't know what you mean**

**You forget yourself**

Peggy snorted at the zoom in on Angelica's face. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**You're like me**

**I'm never satisfied**

**[Angelica:]**

**Is that right?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I've never been satisfied**

_ “They don’t realize just how true that is,”  _ Emilia thought ruefully,

**[Angelica:]**

**My name is Angelica Schuyler**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Alexander Hamilton**

**[Angelica:]**

**Where's your family from?**

“Uh, the Caribbean?” James answered rhetorically. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**Unimportant**

Rachel frowned, because it was, in fact, kind of important.

**There's a million things I haven't done**

**but just you wait, just you wait…**

**[Angelica:]**

**So so so... so this is what it feels like to match wits**

**With someone at your level! What the hell is the catch?**

**It's the feeling of freedom, of seein' the light**

“Wow, what kind of song is this?”

“It's called rap, Mrs.Jefferson, and you’ll be seeing a lot of it throughout this musical.”

**_Guy in the background: Beautiful_ **

Church couldn’t help agreeing. Angelica Schuyler was quite a lovely lady, with a brilliant mind as well. Any man would be lucky to have her.

**It's Ben Franklin with a key and a kite!**

**You see it, right?**

**The conversation lasted two minutes, maybe three minutes**

**Everything we said in total agreement, it's**

Emilia sang along, but she did her best to keep it quiet, as to not ruin the mood.

**A dream and it's a bit of a dance**

**A bit of a posture, it's a bit of a stance**

**He's a bit of a flirt, but I'm 'a give it a chance**

_ “But you didn’t?”  _ Catherine was confused. Angelica could have easily taken Alexander for herself if she’d wanted to. So why didn’t she?

**I asked about his family. Did you see his answer?**

Marty couldn’t help being amused at screen Peggy’s blank expression directed towards her sister.

**His hands started fidgeting, he looked askance?**

**He's penniless, he's flying by the seat of his pants**

Dolley was amazed at how smart Angelica was. She’d only just met him and managed to deduce all that.

**Handsome. Boy, does he know it?**

**Peach fuzz, and he can't even grow it!**

John snorted. Even if he was in love with Alexander as well, their situations were rather different. At least Angelica didn’t risk imprisonment or anything of the like. 

Maybe he ought to ask Emilia about the state of things like that in her time. 

**I wanna take him far away from this place**

**Then I turn and see my sister's face**

**And she is…**

**[Eliza:]**

**Helpless…**

Rachel gasped quietly. So that was why...

**[Angelica:]**

**And I know she is…**

**[Eliza:]**

**Helpless…**

**[Angelica:]**

**And her eyes are just…**

Maria’s heart ached for the poor woman, even if she didn’t know her very well. Her expression was heartbreaking

**[Eliza:]**

**Helpless…**

**[Angelica:]**

**And I realize**

Church, though he of course felt bad for her, had to admire Angelica’s selflessness, setting aside her own feelings for her sister.

**[Angelica and Company:]**

**Three fundamental truths at the exact same time…**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Where are you taking me?**

**[Angelica:]**

**I'm about to change your life**

Earlier, Sarah had thought those words funny. Now they just seemed...sad.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Then by all means, lead the way**

**[Company (except Angelica):]**

**Number one!**

**[Angelica:]**

**I'm a girl in a world in which**

**My only job is to marry rich**

“Which is completely ridiculous,” Aaron muttered, though everyone heard him, turning to stare at him in shock.

“Huh?” John said, his surprise poorly concealed.

“I said it was ridiculous.”

“I mean, I agree, but…”

“But what? Women are just as capable as men.”

“Yes, but what I was  _ going _ to say was that it's just I’ve never heard you say anything like that before.”

John and Aaron had a stare off, to the mild amusement of everyone else.

“Well,” Emilia said cheerfully. “That’s changed quite a bit. Women are far more active in the workforce, especially in science and politics. We also don’t need to marry just to survive anymore.”

“What about voting rights?” Angelica asked. “Do we actually get a say in anything?”

Emilia smiled sadly. “We can vote, but it took until 1920 for that to happen. Which is really stupid, because thats half the population that didn’t have a say in their government until then. We’re actually approaching the 100th anniversary of that being ratified on August 18th and officially adopted on August 26th.”

“What about black people?” John asked. He didn’t dare to hope, but..

“Well, slavery was officially abolished in 1865, and it was declared illegal to prohibit someones ability to vote based on race or previous conditions of servitude in 1870. That didn’t say anything about women, though, and many factors were put into place to try and prevent black men from voting. We’ve made a lot of progress, but there's still a long way to go, and these things unfortunately take time.”

**My father has no sons so I'm the one**

**Who has to social climb for one**

**So I'm the oldest and the wittiest and the gossip in**

**New York City is insidious**

Philip knew that very well. The rumor mill in New York ran rampant, and Angelica would be the talk of the town if she married below her station.

**And Alexander is penniless**

**Ha! That doesn't mean I want him any less**

**[Eliza:]**

**Elizabeth Schuyler. It's a pleasure to meet you**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Schuyler?**

**[Angelica:]**

**My sister**

**[Company:]**

**Number two!**

**[Angelica:]**

**He's after me 'cause I'm a Schuyler sister**

**That elevates his status, I'd**

**Have to be naïve to set that aside**

**Maybe that is why**

**I introduce him to Eliza**

**Now that's his bride**

“Are you calling Eliza naive?”

“Of course not, Peggy.”

**Nice going, Angelica, he was right**

**You will never be satisfied**

**[Eliza:]**

**Thank you for all your service**

**[Hamilton:]**

**If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it**

**[Angelica:]**

**I'll leave you to it**

**[Company:]**

**Number three!**

**[Angelica:]**

**I know my sister like I know my own mind**

**You will never find**

**Anyone as trusting or as kind**

“Eliza really is the best,” Peggy said, smiling slightly.

**If I tell her that I love him she'd be silently resigned**

**He'd be mine**

**She would say, "I'm fine."**

**[Angelica and Company:]**

**She'd be lying**

“But what about yourself? You deserve to be happy too.” Mattie told Angelica, who just shook her head. 

**[Angelica:]**

**But when I fantasize at night**

**It's Alexander's eyes**

**As I romanticize what might**

**Have been if I hadn't sized**

**Him up so quickly**

**At least my dear Eliza's his wife;**

**At least I keep his eyes in my life…**

**[Angelica (all men) {all women}:]**

**To the groom!**

**(To the groom!)**

**(To the groom!)**

**{(To the groom!)}**

**To the bride!**

**{To the bride!}**

**(To the bride!)**

**{To the bride!}**

**From your sister**

**(Angelica!)**

**(Angelica!)**

**{(Angelica!)}**

**Who is always by your side**

**(By your side)**

**{By your side}**

**To your union**

**{(To the union!)}**

**{(To the revolution!)}**

**And the hope that you provide**

**(You provide!)**

**{(You provide!)}**

**May you always…**

**{(Always)}**

**Be satisfied**

**(Be satisfied)**

**{Be satisfied}**

**(Be satisfied)**

**And I know**

**{(Be satisfied)}**

**(Be satisfied)**

**(Be satisfied)**

**(Be satisfied)**

**She'll be happy as**

**(Be satisfied)**

**(Be satisfied)**

**His bride**

Angelica sighed. That’s exactly what made this both better and worse at the same time. Eliza  _ was _ happy, and Angelica was happy for her, really. It just stung knowing she had given up the opportunity to be the same.

**{(Be satisfied)}**

**And I know**

**(Be satisfied)**

**(Be satisfied)**

**(Be satisfied)**

**{Be satisfied}**

**He will never be satisfied**

**I will never be satisfied**

Its was so quiet you could hear a pin drop as screen Angelica, Eliza, and Alexander faded to solid color silhouettes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun historical facts.
> 
> 1\. The 100th anniversary of Women's suffrage is indeed this year. Please make sure to give thanks to all the women who fought to give women the vote. If you want a good movie based around that, check out Iron Jawed Angels. 
> 
> 2\. I wanted to mention this in the previous chapter but it didn't fit. Esther Edwards and Aaron Burr Sr's courtship lasted a whopping... five days.


	13. The Story Of Tonight (Reprise)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcWihWPVu5o

**_“Story of Tonight (Reprise)”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Laurens:]**

**I may not live to see our glory!**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**I may not live to see our glory!**

“Are you guys seriously drunk again?” 

“Uhh…”

Eleanor gave John, Hercules, and Lafayette a disapproving frown.

**[Laurens:]**

**But I've seen wonders great and small**

“Oh have you now?” Herc gave John a rather suggestive look, to which John only groaned and looked at the ceiling.

**[Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**I've seen wonders great and small**

**_Lafayette: I’m in another dimension, holy shit_ **

“How much did you drink?!” Adrienne squeaked. Her husband rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and she sighed heavily, putting her head in her hands.

**[Laurens:]**

**'Cause if the tomcat can get married**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**If Alexander can get married**

**[Laurens:]**

**There's hope for our ass, after all!**

“Uh, wasn’t he the last of us to get married?” Lafayette directed is question to Emilia

She nodded. “Yes, he was, but Lin, the guy who wrote this thing, took some creative liberties. Mostly it's for the sake of story flow, or time.”

**[Lafayette:]**

**Raise a glass to freedom**

**[Laurens/Mulligan:]**

**Hey!**

**Something you will never see again!**

Mattie arced an eyebrow. Getting married certainly hadn’t stopped John from leaving her and Frances.

**[Mulligan:]**

**No matter what she tells you**

Elizabeth, for the sake of every other woman in the room, sharply elbowed her husband in the side.

**[Lafayette:]**

**Let's have another round tonight!**

**[Laurens:]**

**Raise a glass to the four of us!**

**[Lafayette/Hamilton:]**

**Ho!**

**[Mulligan:]**

**To the newly not poor of us!**

Angelica didn’t say anything, but she did give Hercules a brief withering glare.

**[Laurens/Lafayette/Hamilton:]**

**Woo!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**We'll tell the story of tonight**

**[Laurens:]**

**Let's have another round**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Well, if it isn't Aaron Burr**

**[Burr:]**

**Sir!**

“Stealth minus 5,” Emilia muttered to herself, getting a weird look from Maria.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I didn't think that you would make it**

“Why not?” Sarah questioned.

“He always seemed busy,” John shrugged dismissively.

Aaron frowned slightly. He did have stuff to do, but he wasn’t actually all that busy. 

**[Burr:]**

**To be sure**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette:]**

**Burr!**

**[Burr:]**

**I came to say congratulations**

“You have inven-wait, wrong song, sorry.”

**[Mulligan:]**

**Spit a verse, Burr!**

“I don’t know about that, he doesn’t seem like much of a singer. And I doubt he gets any solo songs.” Angelica sounded completely self assured. In her mind, she was completely right.

Emilia suddenly burst into a laughing fit poorly disguised as a coughing fit.

“What?” Angelica narrowed her eyes at the young Burr.

Emilia smirked. “It’s- well what you said is just funny, that’s all.”

“Uh, why?” Angelica frowned. “Pretty sure you were laughing at me, not with me.”

“Oh I was.” Emilia’s gave her a big shit eating grin. “But you’ll have to wait for it to see why.”

Her smirk was cheeky, like she’d just said something clever. 

(She had, but they didn’t know that.)

**[Burr:]**

**I see the whole gang is here**

**[Lafayette:]**

**You are the worst, Burr!**

“Rude” Sarah and Theodosia both glared at Lafayette, so intensely they might have actually burned him if looks could do that. Esther and Burr Sr exchanged worried glances.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Ignore them**

**Congrats to you, Lieutenant Colonel**

**I wish I had your command instead of manning George's journal**

Washington sighed heavily. Alexander never would let up about that, would he?

**[Burr:]**

**No, you don't**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes, I do**

**[Burr:]**

**Now, be sensible**

**From what I hear, you've made yourself indispensable**

Washington nodded. Alexander had so much talent, but that would all go to waste if he died in combat. He was much better off, both in terms of staying alive and utilizing his intelligence, being an Aide-de-Camp.

**[Laurens:]**

**Well, well, I heard**

**_Burr: bad touch_ **

It went unconsidered or unnoticed by pretty much everyone, but not Hercules. In the animatic they were watching, and in real life, Burr wasn’t one for physical contact, at least not uninvited.

It might be nothing. It probably  _ was _ nothing, and he was just overthinking it. But still, it was rather strange if the animator felt the need to include that little detail.

**You've got a special someone on your side, Burr**

Emilia grinned, but it quickly turned into a thoughtful frown. She needed to be ready to explain Aaron and Theodosia’s relationship, and quickly, since they weren’t married yet.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Is that so?**

**[Laurens:]**

**What are you tryin' to hide, Burr?**

“Leave the man alone, John,” Marty muttered. 

**[Burr:]**

**I should go**

**[Hamilton:]**

**No, these guys should go**

**[Lafayette:]**

**What?**

**[Laurens:]**

**No!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Leave us alone**

**[Mulligan:]**

**Man…**

“Still haven’t forgiven you for that, mon ami.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**It's alright, Burr**

**I wish you'd brought this girl with you tonight, Burr**

**[Burr:]**

**You're very kind, but I'm afraid it's unlawful, sir**

“Oh ho?” Do tell, Mr.Burr, do tell.” Peggy leaned forward, a conspiratorial smile gracing her face.

**[Hamilton:]**

**What do you mean?**

**[Burr:]**

**She's married**

“Not for long,” Emilia said, just loud enough for everyone to hear. Theodosia tried to remain subtle, but her eyes betrayed her hope.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I see**

**_Hamilton: We can work with that._ **

“Is that seriously all he has to say about the fact that this woman is married?” Dolley said loudly. 

“Well, depending on the specific date those of you from 1781 are from, he may or may not be dead. Just sayin.”

Theodosia felt a brief moment of elation that she’d be able to marry Aaron, though she felt incredibly guilty about it almost immediately after.

**[Burr:]**

**She's married to a British officer**

Theodosia subtly twisted the wedding band on her ring finger as the rest of the room looked anxious. She didn’t regret marrying Marcus, not really, but he was always gone, leaving her to raise their kids. 

Emilia chuckled. “That's the face you make when you’re all like “Damn it, I love her, but I am also super screwed.””

**[Hamilton:]**

**Oh shit…**

The room became filled with uncertain, hesitant laughing. 

**[Burr:]**

**Congrats again, Alexander**

**Smile more**

Thomas wasn’t quite sure what it was, but something about Burr’s smile on screen felt kind of sad. 

**I'll see you on the other side of the war**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I will never understand you**

Dolley frowned slightly. How often did they talk to one another? Did they make a conscious effort to get to know one another?

Whatever the case, Dolley made it her personal mission to get them to understand one another. She was a self proclaimed expert on the subject, after all.

**If you love this woman, go get her!**

Rachel’s eyes widened. Was her own son actually suggesting an affair? She didn’t know how to feel about that. Glancing over at Esther, it appeared the other woman felt the same.

**What are you waiting for?**

“None of your business,” Burr muttered, his own face holding traces of screen him’s despondent expression.

Emilia heard that and legitimately nearly screeched.

**[Burr:]**

**I'll see you on the other side of the war**

“You never answered the question,” John realized, looking over at Burr, hoping for an answer, but getting none.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I'll see you on the other side of the war**


	14. Wait For It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X04-9LE6EOA

**_“Wait for it”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

Emilia bounced in her seat excitedly. “I’ve been waiting for this! This is one of the best songs in the entire musical, and one of my personal top five.”

“But…” Angelica, wisely, didn’t say anything further. However, she still got a few glares.

**[Burr:]**

**Theodosia writes me a letter every day**

Any comment anyone might have had was cut off by Emilia. “Fun fact, Szin’s design for Theodosia was based on another animator called Galactibun. Galactibun in turn, had based their design off of Nicolette Robinson, wife of Lesile Odom Jr, the man who originated the role of Aaron Burr on Broadway and in the original Broadway cast recording that we’ve been listening to.

“It's a lovely design,” Theodosia said, earning a smile from Emilia. 

“It is, and now it's probably the most widely accepted design for you, since you sadly don’t actually have an actress in the stage version.”

**I'm keeping her bed warm while her husband is away**

Both Hercules and Lafayette waggled their eyebrows in Aaron and Theodosia’s direction, which only earned them getting elbowed by Elizabeth and Adrienne, as well as a glare from Emilia for ruining the mood.

**He's on the British side in Georgia**

“The guy's name is Jacques Marcus Prevost, and in case you’re wondering, he died in Jamaica sometime in 1781.” Emilia said. “The exact date is unknown. You,” She turned to Theodosia “Opened up your home to rebel soldiers while he was away.”

“Indeed I did. It was no trouble at all.” Theo gave Washington a nod, which was returned.

Though they weren’t quite sure how they felt about the prospect of an affair, the way Emilia was so dismissive about the whole thing somehow made it feel like less of a big deal to Esther and Burr Sr.

**He's trying to keep the colonies in line**

**But he can keep all of Georgia**

**Theodosia, she's mine**

_ “Honestly one of the cutest historical couples. _ ” Emilia thought, seeing Burr and Theo be all cute on screen  _ ‘Though the Madisons do come close, what with the piggyback rides* and all…” _

**Love doesn't discriminate**

**Between the sinners**

**And the saints**

Church looked over at Angelica. She had her arm around her sister, her expression unreadable. It was regal, the face of an angel, as befitied her name. She really was beautiful…

**It takes**

Esther glanced at her husband out of the corner of her eye. They’d had a whirlwind courtship that lasted an five days, which was not exactly what she’d been expecting, but here they were.

**and it takes**

John knew that far better than anyone else. It really didn’t. For god's sake, if love were a choice, he’d have chosen the person who was, you know, his  _ wife. _

He really did need to ask Emilia about that later.

**and it takes**

Angelica, though she wasn’t sure why, took a quick glance at John. Though it was only for a second, she recognized the longing in his eyes immediately. Mainly because she’d seen those same eyes elsewhere.

She knew the feeling. Dear, sweet Eliza, who had been too infatuated, too distracted, too in love to notice or realize her sister felt the same way about the same person. Not that Angelica blamed her. Eliza was always one to wear her heart on her sleeve, unlike Angelica.

So she’d taken the high road, given Alexander to Eliza, and that was that. She didn’t regret doing it, but it still stung sometimes when she saw them happy together, and knowing it could have been her.

Across the room, she saw Mattie give her a soft, reassuring smile. Angelica returned it, her cheeks heating up ever so slightly.

**And we keep loving anyway**

Aaron swallowed back the emotions that had been building in the back of his throat. His entire thought process had been captured in song form, and he absolutely did not like it. He squeezed Theo’s hand, and she returned the favor, offering a gentle smile.

Even his sister, who knew him better than anyone else in the room, except for maybe Theodosia, didn’t know him completely.

**We laugh and we cry**

**And we break**

**And we make our mistakes**

Emilia wasn’t sure if her first kiss had been a total accident or something waiting to happen. Well, it didn’t really matter how it happened.

She’d gotten a girlfriend either way.

**And if there's a reason I'm by her side**

**When so many have tried**

**Then I'm willing to wait for it**

**I'm willing to wait for it**

_ “So that's what this song is about, huh? Well, this should be interesting.”  _ Dolley thought. Leslie, or whoever it was Emilia had mentioned earlier as the original actor, was a fantastic singer.

**[Burr:]**

**My grandfather was a fire and brimstone preacher**

**([Men:] Preacher, preacher, preacher)**

Esther smirked ever so slightly. Her father was more than just that, and from the similar smirk on Emilia’s face, she knew too.

“Ever heard of the sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry god”? Written by, you know, Jonathan freaking Edwards,” Emilia said, smirk turned to grin, and everyone turned to look between the various members of the Burr family. However, the musical kept going and everyone had to stop.

**But there are things that the**

**Homilies and hymns won't teach ya**

**([Men:] Teach ya, teach ya, teach ya)**

Sarah nodded to herself. Honestly, she’d learned more on her own just trying to figure out how to do stuff then she ever had getting dragged to church by her uncle.

**My mother was a genius**

**([Women:] Genius)**

“Ok, this is going to sound really weird, and super invasive, but…” Emilia took a breath before continuing. “Yourjournalwaskindofmadepublic,” she said to Esther.

Esther blinked. “I’m sorry? Could you say that again?”

Emilia paled just a little, but did. “Uh, your private journal, the one you exchanged with Sarah Prince? Yeah...it's kinda been published and now anyone can read it…”

“Excuse me?”

Emilia raised her hands. “Hey, for the record, that's the reason people know you’re as smart as you are. A lot of the letters and papers you’ve all written are in museums and archives and can be read by pretty much anyone. But, if it makes you feel any any better, Mrs.Burr, you aren’t the only woman in this room to have their journal published. That honor goes to Miss Laurens.”

She gestured to Marty, who promptly blanched before sighing in resignation. “Is that so? I trust it’s helpful, at least?”

“Yep,” Emilia answered brightly. “Both journals were valuable in painting a picture of the lives of women during your time period.”

Angelica smiled to herself. Esther was someone she’d decided she wanted to get to know, and this only solidified that.

**My father commanded respect**

**([Men:] Respect, respect)**

Burr senior frowned slightly, brow furrowing. He didn’t think it was right for anyone to think of a parent as “commanding respect”. Something about it was just..wrong. Parents shouldn’t expect respect from their children if they were doing nothing to earn it.

Then again, his son might have thought that simply because they never got the chance to build any sort of meaningful relationship.

Washington was thinking something similar. As a general, he commanded respect as needed, but he also did his best to earn that respect as well. But as a parent? That respect needed to be earned from the get go.

**When they died they left no instructions**

**Just a legacy to protect**

James could kind of understand that. His mother hadn’t left after her death, but what she did leave were memories. 

He suddenly had an urge to write them down, create a journal like Esther and Marty had, perhaps, one that would help history see Rachel Faucette-ought to be Hamilton-as she really was. A kind, hard working woman who raised her children on her own.

**[Burr/Ensemble:]**

**Death doesn't discriminate**

**Between the sinners and the saints**

**It takes**

Rachel felt her eldest son place a hand on her upper arm. She knew why, but did she have to be reminded of it all the time?

**and it takes**

The Burrs both exchanged unease, anxious glances. Though they’d talked to their children, it didn’t make it any easier knowing they’d died and left their children alone. It was truly cruel, their children not even having any memories for it either.

It wasn’t made easier by the fact that Aaron and Sarah had reacted as they did to telling them they’d been raised by Esther's brother.

**and it takes**

John clutched his sister's hand in an attempt to keep himself grounded. He was shaking slightly, and it wasn’t a mystery why

_ Me? I died for him _

Was it for a good reason? The last thing he wanted was for his death to be completely pointless and/or avoidable. He didn’t want to leave his wife and daughter alone again. He’d already done that once, and he’d feel horrible doing it a second time.

**And we keep living anyway**

Washington sighed sadly. Wasn’t that the truth. No matter who died, those they left behind had no choice but to just keep moving forward. 

**We rise and we fall**

**And we break**

**And we make our mistakes**

**And if there's a reason I'm still alive**

**When everyone who loves me has died**

“Nope,” Theo said firmly, wrapping her arms around Aaron, resting her chin on her shoulder. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m here, Sarah’s here, heck, your parents are here now too, okay?”

While Theo was dealing with Aaron, most everyone else was just appalled they’d include something so _ wrong. _

**I'm willing to wait for it (wait for it)**

**I'm willing to wait for it**

**Wait for it**

Maria jumped, instinctively grabbing Peggy’s arm as the song suddenly exploded. 

**[Ensemble:]**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**[Burr:]**

**I am the one thing in life I can control**

Washington nodded. If one took the time to think about it, a majority of things were outside of someone's control. While he was glad Burr understood that, unlike some people he could name, he worried about how closed off he was. It wasn’t good.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**[Burr:]**

**I am inimitable**

**I am an original**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**[Burr:]**

**I'm not falling behind or running late**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**Wait for it**

**[Burr:]**

**I'm not standing still**

**I am lying in wait**

Courtney tilted her head “Isn’t that kind of the same thing?”

“Not really. Standing still is doing nothing. Lying in wait means you’re keeping an eye out for opportunity.” Emilia explained.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Wait**

**Wait**

**Wait**

**[Burr:]**

**Hamilton faces an endless uphill climb**

Thomas groaned loudly. Nobody said anything, but they did give him some pretty judgemental looks. 

**[Ensemble:]**

**Climb**

**Climb**

**Climb**

**[Burr:]**

**He has something to prove**

**He has nothing to lose**

“He does now,” Rachem murmured, thinking of her future daughter in law.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Lose**

**Lose**

**Lose**

**Lose**

**[Burr:]**

**Hamilton's pace is relentless**

**He wastes no time**

John sighed. He, Herc, and Laf never had much success in getting Alex to actually take care of himself. John had the easiest time getting him to take a break, but even he wasn’t always successful.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Time**

**Time**

**Time**

**[Burr:]**

**What is it like in his shoes?**

_ “Definitely harder than he makes it seem,”  _ James thought. He knew his brother, and Alexander had a tendency to withhold things from people, even close friends.

**Hamilton doesn't hesitate**

Was Hamilton an unstoppable force or immovable object? Emilia had no good answer for that, but perhaps he was both.

**He exhibits no restraint**

**He takes**

Angelica quirked an eyebrow. Burr had no interest in Eliza, obviously, but she had appeared. Perhaps it was the fact that Eliza was a high society girl? Sadly, thinking about it only raised more questions than it answered. 

**and he takes**

Washington was slightly taken aback when he saw himself appear. Was Burr perhaps more jealous than he let on? Burr was extremely closed off, to a degree that was borderline concerning, just enough that, now, Washington had to wonder...

  
  


**and he takes**

Lafayette, John, and Hercules all exchanged surprised looks. They knew Burr didn’t have a lot of friends, but…

Was Aaron more lonely than he let on? He seemed to be doing fine, but then, so did Alexander, and he had a whole slew of issues he never talked about. Perhaps Aaron was the same?

**And he keeps winning anyway**

**He changes the game**

_ “Will they know you rewrote the game?”  _ Madison remembered.  _ “It would seem so.” _

**He plays and he raises the stakes**

**And if there's a reason**

**He seems to thrive when so few survive, then Goddamnit**

**[Burr and Company:]**

**I'm willing to wait for it (wait for it, wait for...)**

**I'm willing to wait for it…**

Maria instinctively braced herself for the music to get loud again, and sure enough, it did. She still flinched a little, but it was much better than last time.

**Life doesn't discriminate**

**Between the sinners and the saints**

**It takes and it takes and it takes**

_ “Ouch”  _ Emilia pushed back the wince she was about to make. Having Theodosia and John show up like that was just... _ agh!  _

**And we keep living anyway**

**We rise and we fall and we break**

**And we make our mistakes**

**And if there's a reason I'm still alive**

**When so many have died**

_ That. _

That resonated with every soldier in the room. They’d all had so many close calls with death it wasn’t even funny

**Then I'm willin' to**

“Raise a glass to freedom,” Emilia sang quietly. She was kind of in love with all the little details Szin worked into her animatics, ones only she would probably notice.

**[Burr:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Women:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Men:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Burr:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Women:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Men:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Women:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Men:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Women:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Men:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Women:]**

**Wait for it...**

**[Men:]**

**Wait…**

The final frame of Burr’s family looking over him sent a chill through the room. There was a very short pause as the next song came up, everyone still processing the song they’d just listened to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/surprising-raucous-home-life-madisons-180954205/
> 
> This little tidbit is from this article.


	15. Stay Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5bVWq9VlgU

**_“Stay Alive”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Eliza:]**

**Stay alive…**

_ “Something people seem to have trouble doing,”  _ Emilia thinks sarcastically. Seriously, how many people in this room were dead by the end of the musical? At least twelve, she’s pretty sure.

**[Eliza/Angelica/Ensemble women:]**

**Stay alive…**

Adrienne shivered. “That’s not foreboding at all,” she muttered sarcastically, though there was a twinge of fear in her voice.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I have never seen the General so despondent**

**I have taken over writing all his correspondence**

**Congress writes, "George, attack the British forces."**

**_Hamilton: Tf is this bullshit. R they serious?_ **

John muttered something unintelligible but clearly unflattering towards whoever he was mad at.

**I shoot back, we have resorted to eating our horses**

Elizabeth held back a snort. She hadn’t forgotten that line from “Aaron Burr, Sir,” and Szin’s reference to that was funny, if a little weird.

**Local merchants deny us equipment, assistance**

**They only take British money, so sing a song of sixpence**

**[Washington:]**

**The cavalry's not coming**

Henry muttered a curse under his breath. He’d been president of the Congress for a little over a year during the war. He wasn’t sure how much more he could have done, since he didn’t actually have all that much sway, but now? He wishes he’d done more.

**[Hamilton:]**

**But, sir!**

**[Washington:]**

**Alex, listen. There's only one way for us to win this**

**Provoke outrage, outright**

**[Hamilton:]**

**That's right**

**[Washington:]**

**Don't engage, strike by night**

**Remain relentless 'til their troops take flight**

“That, in case you’re wondering,” Emilia said. “Is called guerilla warfare.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight**

Courtney frowned slightly. “What’s that mean?”

“Ok, so, basically, the colonies are in rebellion, right?” Emilia paused a moment before continuing. “They’re fighting a defensive battle against the British, who are trying to regain control. The colonies, because of this, don’t need to really win. They just need to not lose.”

Patsy frowned. “How are those things any different?”

“If this war ends in a tie, that’s a win for the colonies. If they can make the British give up, make fighting this war seem impractical and just not worth it anymore, they win.”

**[Washington:]**

**Outrun**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Outrun**

**[Washington:]**

**Outlast**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Outlast**

**[Washington:]**

**Hit 'em quick, get out fast**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Chick-a-plao!**

Dolley snorted.

**[Washington:]**

**Stay alive 'til this horror show is past**

**We're gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast**

Immediately, the mood got darker. 

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**Raise a glass!**

**[Mulligan:]**

**I go back to New York and my apprenticeship**

**[Lafayette:]**

**I ask for French aid, I pray that France has sent a ship**

_ “Honestly, the French kind of just wanted to kick Britan’s ass. But their help was needed to win the war, too.”  _ Emilia thought.

**[Laurens:]**

**I stay at work with Hamilton**

**We write essays against slavery**

John nodded. He just hoped his efforts didn’t completely go to waste.

**And every day's a test of our camaraderie and bravery**

**[Hamilton:]**

**We cut supply lines, we steal contraband**

**We pick and choose our battles and places to take a stand**

**And ev'ry day**

**"Sir, entrust me with a command"**

**And ev'ry day**

**[Washington:]**

**No**

**[Hamilton:]**

**He dismisses me out of hand**

Marty snickered at Hamilton’s and her brother's faces.

**[Hamilton (Eliza/Angelica):]**

**Instead of me (Stay alive...)**

**He promotes**

**Charles Lee ([Lee:] Charles Lee)**

**Makes him second-in-command:**

**[Lee:]**

**I'm a General. Whee!**

The room was suddenly filled with laughter. The video paused, and it took five minutes for people to pull themselves together.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yeah. He's not the choice I would have gone with**

**[Hamilton/Laurens/Lafayette:]**

**He shits the bed at the Battle of Monmouth**

All the soldiers tensed up.

**[Washington:]**

**Ev'ryone attack!**

**[Lee:]**

**Retreat!**

**[Washington:]**

**Attack!**

**[Lee:]**

**Retreat!**

“Well that’s not good,” Madison muttered.

**[Washington:]**

**What are you doing, Lee? Get back on your feet!**

**[Lee:]**

**But there's so many of them!**

**[Washington:]**

**I'm sorry, is this not your speed?!**

Philip snorted.

**Hamilton!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Ready, sir!**

**[Washington:]**

**Have Lafayette take the lead!**

Lafayette chuckled. It hadn’t been quite like that, but Alexander had still been rather peeved afterwards.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes, sir!**

**[Laurens:]**

**A thousand soldiers die in a hundred degree heat**

Aaron grimaced. He’d collapsed from heat stroke in the middle of that battle. He’d been out for a while, and had been forced to resign a while later due to subsequent health problems.

Yeah, would not recommend.

**[Lafayette:]**

**As we snatch a stalemate from the jaws of defeat**

Adrienne clutched her husbands hand anxiously.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Charles Lee was left behind**

**Without a pot to piss in**

**He started sayin' this to anybody who would listen:**

**[Lee:]**

**Washington cannot be left alone to his devices**

**Indecisive, from crisis to crisis**

**The best thing he can do for the revolution**

**Is turn n' go back to plantin' tobacco in Mount Vernon**

Rachel raised an eyebrow when she saw her son's eye twitch.

**[Company:]**

**Oo!**

**[Washington:]**

**Don't do a thing. History will prove him wrong**

Washington nodded. He didn’t need people defenting him.

**[Hamilton:]**

**But, sir!**

**[Washington:]**

**We have a war to fight, let's move along**

**[Laurens:]**

**Strong words from Lee, someone oughta hold him to it**

John, Lafayette, and Hercules all nodded.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I can't disobey direct orders**

**[Laurens:]**

**Then I'll do it**

Mattie looked over at her husband in alarm. He just shook his head at her. She sighed in relief., sinking back in her seat. It seemed this wasn’t where he would die, thankfully.

**Alexander, you're the closest friend I've got**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Laurens, do not throw away your shot**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, school starts for me tomorrow.
> 
> fml


	16. Ten Duel Commandments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie_ltlRVCrk

**_“Ten Duel Commandments”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Men:]**

**One, two, three, four**

**[Full Company:]**

**Five, six, seven, eight, nine…**

**[Burr/Hamilton/Laurens/Lee:]**

**It's the Ten Duel Commandments**

Everyone leaned forward in anticipation. Eleanor frowned at the clear contempt John and Lee had for each other.

**[Full Company:]**

**It's the Ten Duel Commandments**

**Number one!**

**[Laurens:]**

**The challenge: demand satisfaction**

Angelica huffed. “Excuse you, that’s my thing!”

Though her situation didn’t really seem like anything to laugh about, several people had to chuckle at Angelica appearing on screen.

**If they apologize, no need for further action**

_ “Hamilton should have remembered that,”  _ Emilia thought to herself. 

**[Company:]**

**Number two!**

**[Laurens:]**

**If they don't, grab a friend, that's your second**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Your lieutenant when there's reckoning to be reckoned**

Rachel smiled. It was nice seeing her son being so close with someone.

**[Company:]**

**Number three!**

**[Lee:]**

**Have your seconds meet face to face**

**[Burr:]**

**Negotiate a peace…**

Dolley nodded. Many things could be worked out if people would just have a civil conversation.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Or negotiate a time and place**

James frowned.

**[Burr:]**

**This is commonplace, 'specially 'tween recruits**

**[Company:]**

**Most disputes die, and no one shoots**

Emilia almost winced at the irony. But she did have to commend Szin for that particular frame.

**Number four!**

**[Laurens:]**

**If they don't reach a peace, that's alright**

Esther frowned. “I-no? That doesn’t seem very all right?”

Emilia nodded. “No, not really, but most duels never actually reach the dueling ground.”

_ “Except every duel in this musical,”  _ Emilia added in her head.

**Time to get some pistols and a doctor on site**

**[Hamilton:]**

**You pay him in advance, you treat him with civility**

**[Burr:]**

**You have him turn around so he can have deniability**

Maria blinked in confusion. “Why?”

“It protects them from being prosecuted,” Aaron explained. “They can honestly say they didn’t see anything.”

“Oh, okay.”

**[Company:]**

**Five!**

**[Lee:]**

**Duel before the sun is in the sky**

**[Company:]**

**Pick a place to die where it's high and dry**

“That’s... extremely morbid,” Martha said, frowning.

**Number six!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Leave a note for your next of kin**

**Tell 'em where you been. Pray that hell or heaven lets you in**

Burr Sr looked a little weirded out. “Why would you want to go to hell?”

Emilia shrugged. “Maybe its better than purgatory? Or not existing? Who knows.”

**[Company:]**

**Seven!**

**[Lee:]**

**Confess your sins.**

“Would have taken a week if Lee did that,” John muttered.

**Ready for the moment**

**Of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent**

**[Company:]**

**Number eight!**

**[Laurens/Lee/Hamilton/Burr:]**

**Your last chance to negotiate**

**Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight…**

**[Burr:]**

**Alexander**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Aaron Burr, sir**

Emilia snorted.

**[Burr:]**

**Can we agree that duels are dumb and immature?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sure**

**But your man has to answer for his words, Burr**

“So no, you don’t agree.” Tapping said bluntly. 

Emilia nodded. Hamiltons’ lines here were pretty ironic.

**[Burr:]**

**With his life? We both know that's absurd, sir**

Sarah nodded. She didn’t think an insult like that was worth dying over.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Hang on, how many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruinous?**

“Eehhh, ruinous is debatable, but Lee was far from inexperienced. Incompetent, maybe, but not inexperienced. He was actually expected to be named Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, but we all know that Washington ended up getting the position instead, which was probably a good thing, but still,” said Emilia, fiddling with a small section of her hair.

**[Burr:]**

**Okay, so we're doin' this**

Marty snickered. 

**[Company:]**

**Number nine!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Look 'em in the eye, aim no higher**

**Summon all the courage you require**

**Then count**

**[Men:]**

**One two three four**

**[Full Company:]**

**Five six seven eight nine**

Emilia counted along with the ensemble. 

**[Hamilton/Burr:]**

**Number**

**[Company:]**

**Ten paces!**

**[Hamilton/Burr:]**

**Fire!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I have a question for you guys. Some of you may know that I have a fic where Hamilton characters are reacting to a Hunger Games AU. My question is this.
> 
> Would you guys be interested in a HG/Hamilton fic, following the general storyline being reacting to, but without the reaction aspect?


	17. Meet Me Inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nYdZoEXtko

**_“Meet Me Inside”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Hamilton:]**

**Lee, do you yield?**

**[Burr:]**

**You shot him in the side!**

**Yes, he yields!**

Everyone snorted in some capacity at Burr’s sarcasm and expression change. 

“He’d be stupid not to,” Elizabeth said loudly.

**[Laurens:]**

**I'm satisfied**

Angelica scoffed. “Speak for yourself.”

**[Burr:]**

**Yo, we gotta clear the field!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Go! We won**

**[Company:]**

**Here comes the General!**

**[Burr:]**

**This should be fun**

“My thoughts exactly,” said Marty. She still was just a little peeved at her brother for being so reckless.

**_Burr: Why haven’t I killed myself yet?_ **

“Ahh, Gen Z’s fatalistic blue humor at it’s finest,” Emilia ignored the questioning looks she was getting. She didn’t think anyone noticed Burr’s text, and if they did, they weren’t given an opportunity to ask about it.

**[Washington:]**

**What is the meaning of this? Mr. Burr, get a medic for the General**

**[Burr:]**

**Yes, sir**

_ “At least someone listens to their superiors.”  _ Washington thought dryly.

**[Washington:]**

**Lee, you will never agree with me**

**But believe me, these young men don't speak for me**

**Thank you for your service**

**[Burr:]**

**Let's ride!**

**[Washington:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sir!**

**[Washington:]**

**Meet me inside**

John, Lafayette, Hercules, and Aaron all immediately tensed.

**[Company:]**

**Meet him inside! Meet him inside!**

**Meet him inside, meet him, meet him inside!**

Despite the tension, Emilia whispered along with the company.

**[Washington:]**

**Son**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Don't call me son**

James grimaces. He knew how Alexander felt about anyone other than their mother calling him that. It never ended well, and he didn’t think this would be any exception.

**[Washington:]**

**This war is hard enough**

**Without infighting**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Lee called you out**

**We called his bluff**

“And almost killed,” Angelica remarked bluntly.

**[Washington:]**

**You solve nothing, you aggravate our allies to the south**

**[Hamilton:]**

**You're absolutely right, John should have shot him in the mouth**

**That would've shut him up**

“That,” Emilia said with a grin, “Is actually a really clever reference to John Cadwalader, who shot Thomas Conway in the mouth for very similar reasons.”

**[Washington:]**

**Son**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I'm notcha son**

Hamilton’s brow furrowed, and he frowned.

**[Washington:]**

**Watch your tone**

**I am not a maiden in need of defending, I am grown**

Angelica almost said something, but didn’t. It wasn’t the time, not when the tension was so high anything might set anyone off.

**[Hamilton (overlapping):]**

**Charles Lee, Thomas Conway**

**These men take your name and they rake it through the mud**

**[Washington:]**

**My name's been through a lot, I can take it**

Washington nodded. His leadership had been called into question multiple times, but despite that, he was still general, and it didn’t look like he’d lose that position any time soon.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Well, I don't have your name**

**I don't have your titles**

**I don't have your land**

**But, if you**

**[Washington:]**

**No**

Mattie snorted. “He didn’t even finish his sentence, and the general shot him down.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**If you gave me command of a battalion, a group of men to lead, I could fly above my station after the war**

Peggy shook her head. “Bad timing, Alex,” she whispered. This situation was precarious enough without him bringing that up.

**[Washington:]**

**Or you could die and we need you alive**

Rachel nodded firmly, and just a little frantically. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**I'm more than willing to die**

“Don’t say that,” Rachel said faintly. She didn’t like how okay her son was with dying. She couldn’t figure out why he was so okay with it either, and that worried her.

**[Washington:]**

**Your wife needs you alive,**

Catherine nodded. Eliza needed to be more of a priority for him, needed to take her into consideration more*.

**son, I need you alive**

**[Hamilton:]**

**CALL ME SON ONE MORE TIME!**

Everyone who wasn’t the Hamilsquad were startled by the outburst, and the amount of pain on Alexander's face. 

Washington, though he was a little uncomfortable by the looks some of the people were giving him, was glaring ever so slightly at James Hamilton Sr. He wasn’t the only one, either, but he didn’t look to see who else was also glaring at the man.

Hamilton had to wonder if this was his fault. He didn’t want to admit it, of course, but was there really any other explanation? He’d left his family because he’d been trying to spare her charges of bigamy, but now…

He doesn’t know what the right decision was, but if Rachel and her sons would let him, he wanted to be more involved in their lives. Better now then never, right?

**[Washington:]**

**Go home, Alexander**

**That's an order from your commander**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sir**

**[Washington:]**

**Go home**

Everyone expected the next song to start right away, but that wasn’t the case.

**_Please send Alexander home so he could meet his son_ **

**_Eliza S_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * ho boy, Catherine, you have no idea


	18. That Would Be Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjv1D1x0hwQ

**_“That Would be Enough”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

The beginning scene of Alexander and Eliza reuniting was enough to put smiles on at least some people’s faces after the events from just a few moments ago.

**[Eliza:]**

**Look around, look around at how lucky we are**

**To be alive right now**

**Look around, look around…**

“Who sings for Eliza?” Catherine asked. 

Emilia smiled. “The original actress for Eliza was a woman named Phillipa Soo. She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

**[Hamilton:]**

**How long have you known?**

Rachel’s head tilted in confusion. “Known what?” 

“You’ll see.”

**[Eliza:]**

**A month or so**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Eliza, you should have told me**

**[Eliza:]**

**I wrote to the General a month ago**

Washington nodded. He remembered getting that letter and being very confused.

**[Hamilton:]**

**No**

Peggy snorted. “He sounds so scandalized.”

**[Eliza:]**

**I begged him to send you home**

**[Hamilton:]**

**You should have told me**

**[Eliza:]**

**I'm not sorry**

“Don’t be,” Angelica said, a smile on her face.

**[Eliza (Hamilton):]**

**I knew you'd fight until the war was won (The war's not done)**

**But you deserve a chance to meet your son**

“Wait.” Philip leaned forward. “Eliza’s pregnant?!”

There was silence for a moment before. 

“I'm gonna be an aunt!!” Peggy practically screeched. She threw her arms around Angelica, who was grinning just as widely.

Philip and Catherine shared happy smiles with Rachel and her family.

**Look around, look around at how lucky we are**

**To be alive right now**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Will you relish being a poor man's wife**

**Unable to provide for your life?**

Angelica shook her head. “I don’t think Eliza really cares about that, Alexander.” She was talking to a screen, of course, but who cared.

**[Eliza:]**

**I relish being your wife**

“See?”

**Look around, look around…**

**Look at where you are**

**Look at where you started**

**The fact that you're alive is a miracle**

**Just stay alive, that would be enough**

“Those are some pretty low standards,” Mattie said dryly. 

**And if this child**

**Shares a fraction of your smile**

**Or a fragment of your mind, look out world!**

**That would be enough**

**I don't pretend to know**

**The challenges you're facing**

Herc grimaced. He was involved in the war too, but only as a spy. He couldn’t imagine being on the field as often as the others were.

**The worlds you keep erasing and creating in your mind**

**But I'm not afraid**

**I know who I married**

Patsy leaned against her husband. She knew the day she’d met him what she was getting herself into, and she didn’t regret it one bit.

**So long as you come home at the end of the day**

**That would be enough**

**We don't need a legacy**

**We don't need money**

Maria looked confused. “You kinda do, though?”

“I think she means they don’t need money to be happy, but yes, you’re right,” Emilia explained.

**If I could grant you peace of mind**

Tapping squeezed Sarah’s hand. She got anxious a lot, was afraid to make mistakes, but he’d make clear as many times as he needed to that she didn’t need to worry about that.

**If you could let me inside your heart…**

Theodosia leaned slighting against Aaron. She knew he had trouble letting people in, and she considered herself lucky to be one of the one’s he let in.

**Oh, let me be a part of the narrative**

**In the story they will write someday**

**Let this moment be the first chapter:**

**Where you decide to stay**

**And I could be enough**

_ “You are enough, Eliza, _ ” Angelica thought. She wouldn’t have let Alexander court her sister otherwise. 

**And we could be enough**

**That would be enough**


	19. Guns and Ships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F-rD3XoXrQ

**_“Guns and Ships”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Burr:]**

**How does a ragtag volunteer army in need of a shower**

Hercules wrinkled his nose. “Tell me about it. Makes me glad I was just a spy.”

At Elizabeth’s pointed look, Aaron reached over and karate chopped Herc over the head, getting an indignant “Hey!”

**Somehow defeat a global superpower?**

Washington tried to force down the hopeful feeling at that. If his interpretation was correct, did that mean they won? They’d just have to wait and see.

**How do we emerge victorious from the quagmire?**

**Leave the battlefield waving Betsy Ross' flag higher?**

**Yo. Turns out we have a secret weapon!**

**An immigrant you know and love who's unafraid to step in!**

“I’d say they’re talking about Alexander, but they keep showing Lafayette?” Dolley said.

**He's constantly confusin', confoundin' the British henchmen**

**Everyone give it up for America's favourite fighting Frenchman!**

As Emilia sang along with the song, Lafayette gasped before grinning widely.

**[Company:]**

**Lafayette!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**I'm taking this horse by the reins makin' redcoats redder with bloodstains**

**[Company:]**

**Lafayette!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**And I'm never gonna stop**

**Until I make 'em drop**

**And burn 'em up and scatter their remains,**

**I'm**

Emilia, somehow, managed to both rap along with Lafayette and shout with the ensemble, not missing a beat.

**[Company:]**

**Lafayette!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Watch me engagin' 'em,**

**Escapin' 'em!**

**Enragin' 'em.**

**I'm**

Everyone was, rightfully so, blown away by the talent of Lafayette’s actor.

**[Company:]**

**Lafayette!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**I go to France for more funds**

**[Company:]**

**Lafayette!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**I come back with more**

**[Lafayette and Ensemble:]**

**Guns**

**And ships**

**And so the balance shifts**

“I don’t think we’d stand a chance without France’s help,” James said, and though he got nods of agreement, there was also some slight malcontents in the soldiers. Madison, thought he was right, had no idea what fighting in a war was like.

**[Washington:]**

**We rendezvous**

**With Rochambeau,**

**Consolidate their gifts**

**[Lafayette:]**

**We can end this war in Yorktown, cut them off at sea,**

Washington made a note of that. It seemed that would be an important battle in the future.

**But for this to succeed,**

**There is someone else we need:**

**[Washington:]**

**I know**

“Alex?” Rache guessed.

**[Washington and Company:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Sir, he knows what to do in a trench**

**Ingenuitive and fluent in French, I mean**

**[Washington and Company:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Sir, you're gonna have to use him eventually**

**What's he gonna do on the bench? I mean**

“You do need your aid back eventually,” Patsy said.

**[Washington and Company:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**No one has more resilience**

**Or matches my practical tactical brilliance**

Peggy rolled her eyes. “How humble,” she said sarcastically, getting a cheeky smirk from the man.

**[Washington and Company:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Lafayette:]**

**You wanna fight for your land back?**

**[Company:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Washington:]**

**I need my right-hand man back!**

**[Women:]**

**Hamilton!**

**[Lafayette (men):]**

**Ah! Uh, get ya right-hand man back (Get your right-hand man back!)**

**You know you gotta get ya right hand man back (Your right-hand man back!)**

**[Lafayette (women/men):]**

**I mean you gotta put some thought into the letter (Hamilton!)**

**But the sooner the better (Hamilton! Hamilton!)**

**To get your right hand man back! (Ha ha)**

“Did he somehow get faster?” Burr Sr seemed a little shellshocked.

“Fun fact, this song contains the fastest rap on broadway, at about 6.3 words a second.”

**[Washington:]**

**Alexander Hamilton**

**Troops are waiting in the field for you**

**If you join us right now, together we can turn the tide**

Philip felt bad for his daughter. She’d just gotten her husband back, and now he had to leave again. But he had a feeling she’d be alright.

**Oh, Alexander Hamilton**

**I have soldiers that will yield for you**

_ “Best of wives and best of women is right,”  _ Emilia thought. Eliza really deserved so much better.

**If we manage to get this right**

**They'll surrender by early light**

**The world will never be the same, Alexander…**

A shiver ran through several of the rooms occupants.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some shameless self-plug, but if you happen to be a fan of both Danganronpa and Hamilton, I recently started a crossover fic for that.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/26925337/chapters/65709640
> 
> Surprise surprise, it's a react fic, like my Hamilton/Hunger Games fic, but feel free to check it out if you want.


	20. History Has It's Eyes On You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDv7y8If6_U

**[Washington:]**

**I was younger than you are now**

**When I was given my first command**

**I led my men straight into a massacre**

**I witnessed their deaths firsthand**

Everyone got chills from the flashback of younger Washington, particularly Washington himself.

“By the way, how old were you when this happened?” Emilia, thought the question was perhaps a bit inappropriate, seemed genuinely curious.

“I was twenty one. Hamilton was about twenty four when we had this conversation.”

Emilia nodded.

**I made every mistake**

Emilia nodded to herself. Washington had basically started the French and Indian war because of it. The ensuing conflict over frontier policy and paying for the war contributed to the start of the revolution.

Wait...

**And felt the shame rise in me**

**And even now I lie awake**

**[Washington (Laurens/Mulligan):]**

**Knowing history has its eyes on me (Whoa oh oh…)**

Burr Sr was a bit surprised to hear that, but that phrase resonated with him. He was aware people would probably at least know of him in the future. He’d married a daughter of Jonathan Edwards and was the president of a college after all. He’d always been keenly aware of how people might perceive him in the future, but not all that far.

Perhaps he should have. After all, wasn’t his descendant right there? She, as strange as it might be to think that way, was his legacy. 

**(Whoa…)**

**(Whoa…)**

**(Yeah)**

**[Hamilton/Washington (Company):]**

**_Wtf when the realization hits u like a truck_ **

Peggy snorted. She didn’t know what a truck had to do with it, but Alexander’s face was pretty amusing.*

**History has its eyes on me (Whoa oh oh…)**

**(Whoa…)**

**(Whoa…)**

**(Yeah)**

No one knew what to make of all of Hamilton’s friends flashing behind him.

**[Washington:]**

**Let me tell you what I wish I'd known**

**When I was young and dreamed of glory**

**You have no control**

**[Washington And Company:]**

**Who lives,**

As Aaron appeared, back to everyone, Emilia couldn’t help feeling sympathy. She, unsurprisingly, wasn’t the biggest fan of Alexander Hamilton, and no one expected her to be. 

Theodosia took Aaron’s hands in hers. She didn’t want a repeat of earlier. 

**who dies,**

John and his entire family all shuddered. Did this musical have to allude to his death every two seconds?

Marty gripped her brother's arm tightly. It wouldn’t change anything, but she felt better doing so.

Henry and Eleanor exchanged sad looks. They weren’t sure if they were emotionally prepared to hear about that.

**who tells your story**

Philip frowned in confusion. “Why’d Eliza show up there?” he asked, looking at Emilia.

“That’s a spoiler.”

**[Washington:]**

**I know that we can win**

“We have to win,” Lafayette said quietly. To him, there wasn’t really any other option.

**I know that greatness lies in you**

**But remember from here on in**

**[Washington/Hamilton and men (Ensemble):]**

**History has its eyes on you (Whoa oh oh…)**

**(Whoa…)**

**(Whoa…)**

“That’s a really cool effect,” Maria muttered to Peggy. She was, of course, referring to the ghostly outlines of people surrounding Washington and Hamilton.

**[Full Company:]**

**History has its eyes on you**

Emilia braced herself for the next song. After all, it would tell them the outcome of the war they were currently fighting.

Yorktown, here we come.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *"vehicle," 1610s, originally "small wheel" (especially one on which the carriages of a ship's guns were mounted), probably from Latin trochus "iron hoop," from Greek trokhos "wheel," from trekhein "to run" (see truckle (n.)). Sense extended to "cart for carrying heavy loads" (1774), then in American English to "motor vehicle for carrying heavy loads" (1913), a shortened form of motor truck in this sense (1901).


	21. Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g0t1VYOnv4

**_“Yorktown”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Company:]**

**The battle of Yorktown**

**1781**

Emilia bounced in her seat. It wasn’t necessarily one of her favorite songs, but it was still fun. She always got hyped listening to it, and it was a very important song for everyone else watching with her. They’d finally get to see the outcome of the war they’d been fighting for the better part of the last decade.

Washington took note of the date and place. This was next year. Given the significant focus this song was getting, having its own song, it was clearly important, and though Emilia had a wide grin on her face, he refused to get his hopes up too much.

“Ok, why does this particular battle have its own song?” Adrienne asked.

Emilia looked over. “Ok, so the battle, or siege, of Yorktown Virginia took place from September 28th, 1781, to October 19th of the same year. It’s a super important battle that ended in a decisive victory for one side. I’m not telling you who it is!” she added upon seeing the wide eyed, hopeful looks almost everyone gave her. “That’d be a spoiler. Don’t worry, it's in this song.”

**[Lafayette:]**

**Monsieur Hamilton**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Monsieur Lafayette**

Hamilton smiled slightly. It was nice knowing that his son had friends. He knew Alex and James had been pretty lonely when they were young. He didn’t know much of what happened after he left, and the thought of that caused his chest to tighten. 

He really needed to talk to his family, if he was even allowed to call them that. At least then he’d know exactly where they all stood.

**[Lafayette:]**

**In command where you belong**

**[Hamilton:]**

**How you say, no sweat**

**We're finally on the field**

**We've had quite a run**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Immigrants:**

**[Hamilton/Lafayette:]**

**We get the job done**

Emilia laughed, though there was no humor in it. Everyone looked at her in concern.

“It’s just” she said without looking. “Despite all the hard work immigrants do, they still receive a lot of discrimination, even in my time. Our current president, the guy who runs the country, who, I might add, is a freaking cheeto, wants to stop people coming in from Mexico. It’s not really even for super valid security reasons, it’s just because he’s xenophobic.”

“Uh, what? Could you explain what Mexico and Xenophobia are?” asked Patsy.

“Right. Mexico is the country that borders the modern country to the south. You guys haven’t gotten that far west yet, remind me to show you a map later. Xenophobia is hatred or fear for things, or in this case people, that are considered foreign or strange.”

“And this...president? Is that?”

Emilia nodded. “He’s also pretty misogynistic and racist. I don’t like him. I’ll talk about him more later if you want, but don’t expect me to be very calm about it.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**So what happens if we win?**

**[Lafayette:]**

**I go back to France**

**I bring freedom to my people if I'm given the chance**

The Lafayette’s exchanged cautiously hopeful looks. Their county was on the verge of revolution, everyone could see that, and they hoped that the colonies winning could get that going. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**We'll be with you when you do**

Emilia coughed a couple times, her lips pursed. While she certainly agreed with the decision to not get involved, she felt pretty bad for the Lafayettes. America would have been crushed if they did, and it wasn’t like Alexander could predict the future, but still.

**[Lafayette:]**

**Go lead your men**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I’ll see you on the other side**

**[Lafayette:]**

**'Til we meet again, let's go!**

_“Sad to realize they never saw each other in person after Lafayette went back to France.”_ Emilia thought. Of course, they wrote letters, but that just wasn’t the same.

**[Ensemble:]**

**I am not throwin' away my shot!**

**I am not throwin' away my shot!**

“This again?” Church grumbled.

Emilia chuckled. “Yes, this again. Trust me, it’s important. Like I said before, this musical is filled with recurring phrases and ideas, and they all convey certain emotions and feelings.”

**Hey yo, I'm just like my country, I'm young**

**Scrappy and hungry**

**And I'm not throwin' away my shot!**

**I am not throwin' away my shot!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**'Til the world turns upside down…**

**[Ensemble:]**

**'Til the world turns upside down!**

“How literal,” Emilia said dryly, though there was a smile on her face. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory**

Rachel grimaced. She hated how...death seaking her son was, for lack of a better word. Thinking about your own death so much wasn’t a good thing. She just hoped that things would look up later, that he’d get past this mindset.

**This is where it gets me: on my feet**

**The enemy ahead of me**

**If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me**

**Weapon in my hand, a command, and my men with me**

**Then I remember my Eliza's expecting me…**

Catherine sighed slightly in relief. At least he hadn’t forgotten about her this time.

**Not only that, my Eliza's expecting**

Philip nodded, a small but pleased smile on his face. He really wanted to meet his grandson.

**We gotta go, gotta get the job done**

**Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son!**

**Take the bullets out your gun!**

“Huh? Why would you do that. You’re in a war, right?”

“Well, Mr.Jefferson, it might seem pretty counterintuitive, but it will make sense in just a second. Don’t worry, they aren’t completely stupid.

**[Ensemble:]**

**What?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**The bullets out your gun!**

**[Ensemble:]**

**What?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**We move under cover and we move as one**

**Through the night, we have one shot to live another day**

**We cannot let a stray gunshot give us away**

“Oohhh, ok that does kind of make sense. Maybe not the safest idea, but I guess it works.”

Herc rolled his eyes. “You have no right to say what’s safe or not when you haven't even fought in the war.”

As Thomas’s face flushed, and he gave a slightly apologetic look to Herc, Washington was deep in thought. This was obviously something to keep in mind if it was worth giving its own little bit too. It would work to keep their positions a secret, which could give them the edge they needed to win. Anything would help at this point, honestly.

**We will fight up close, seize the moment and stay in it**

**It's either that or meet the business end of a bayonet**

Burr snorted. “That’s one way to put it.” 

**The code word is 'Rochambeau' dig me?**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Rochambeau!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**You have your orders now, go, man, go!**

**And so the American experiment begins**

“America?” Esther instinctively looked towards Emilia.

“Wait for the song to finish, then I’ll explain that.”

**With my friends all scattered to the winds**

**Laurens is in South Carolina, redefining brav'ry**

John blushed slightly. That was a bit of an exaggeration, in his opinion, but the flattery was nonetheless welcome.

Marty smiled at her brother. At least he was back in their colony. Maybe he could visit them for once. Mary Eleanor and Junior missed him a lot.

**[Hamilton/Laurens:]**

**We'll never be free until we end slavery!**

John grinned. “You know it! Say, I can’t remember if you mentioned this already, but when was slavery abolished? If it was, of course.”

“RIght. Slavery was abolished in 1865, after the civil war, but it took almost a century for black people, especially women, to get anywhere close to the same level of civl rights as whites, and some might even say we still haven’t achieved that. Racism is a huge problem, even in my time, something I’m not going to get into right this moment.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**When we finally drive the British away**

**Lafayette is there waiting**

**[Hamilton/Lafayette:]**

**In Chesapeake Bay!**

**[Hamilton:]**

**How did we know that this plan would work?**

**We had a spy on the inside**

**That's right**

Said spy leaned forward in anticipation. His wife shook his head in amusement.

**[Hamilton/Company:]**

**Hercules Mulligan!**

Herc whooped as his friends grinned.

**[Mulligan:]**

**A tailor spyin' on the British government!**

**I take their measurements, information and then I smuggle it**

**[Company:]**

**Up**

**[Mulligan:]**

**To my brother's revolutionary covenant**

“For those of you unaware, Mulligan saved General Washington’s life twice.”

Herc nodded. “That is true.”

“Honestly, why did that red coat tell you their plans? Wouldn’t that have been a severe liability?”

“I think he was more than a little drunk.”

“Also probably because my Uncle is on the british side,” Elizabeth added. “They trusted us more than most.”

**I'm runnin' with the Sons of Liberty and I am lovin' it!**

**See, that's what happens when you up against the ruffians**

**We in the shit now, somebody's gotta shovel it!**

Eleanor wrinkled her nose slightly.

**Hercules Mulligan, I need no introduction**

**When you knock me down I get the fuck back up again!**

**[Company:]**

**Let's go! Woo!**

Even though she was bopping along with the music, Emilia’s mind was going a million miles an hour, preparing for the inevitable explanation she would be giving shortly.

**Left! Right! Hold!**

**Go!**

**What! What! What!**

**[Hamilton:]**

The atmosphere suddenly became tense as the music suddenly backed off, being replaced with long tones and bell tolls.

**After a week of fighting, a young man in a red coat stands on a parapet**

**[Lafayette:]**

**We lower our guns as he frantically waves a white handkerchief**

“....wait, what!”

“Are they really surrendering?”

“I’m not imagining things, right?”

“DId we just win?”

The room erupted into chatter, but the music didn’t stop, just got louder to force everyone to be quiet

**[Mulligan:]**

**And just like that, it's over.**

“Is it really?”

Burr’s voice was quiet, but everyone heard. Though they would deny it, some peoples eyes started watering.

**We tend to our wounded, we count our dead**

**[Laurens:]**

**Black and white soldiers wonder alike if this really means freedom**

**[Washington:]**

**Not yet**

Everyone was too shocked to say anything, except Emilia, who had listed to this many times. They really weren’t free, not until slavery was abolished.

**[Hamilton:]**

**We negotiate the terms of surrender**

**I see George Washington smile**

“A truly rare occurrence, sir, but a welcome one,” Lafayette said cheerfully. The mood was infectious.

**We escort their men out of Yorktown**

**They stagger home single file**

**Tens of thousands of people flood the streets**

**There are screams and church bells ringing**

**And as our fallen foes retreat**

**I hear the drinking song they're singing…**

**[All men:]**

**The world turned upside down**

Peggy tilted her head. “Isn’t that a drinking song?”

Her parents nodded.

**[Full Company:]**

**The world turned upside down**

**The world turned upside down**

**The world turned upside down**

**Down**

**Down, down, down**

**[Lafayette:]**

**Freedom for America, freedom for France!**

Adrienne and Gilberts looked at each other happily, though there was a bit of anxiety too. Would their country be able to achieve freedom too? They certainly hoped so.

**[Company:]**

**Down, down, down**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Gotta start a new nation**

They really would be, huh? It hadn’t really registered yet, but that was going to be a huge deal, and no small feat. Washington just hoped they’d be up for the task.

**Gotta meet my son**

**[Company:]**

**Down, down, down**

**[Mulligan:]**

**We won!**

Esther and Aaron Sr exchanged pleased looks. This was certainly incredible, but it didn’t feel nearly as personal as it undoubtedly did to some of the other people in the room.

**[Lafayette:]**

**We won!**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens:]**

**We won!**

**[Mulligan/Lafayette/Laurens/Hamilton/Washington:]**

**We won!**

It was only then that the significance of what just happened really hit them. Everyone started cheering, throwing their arms around loved ones, and generally being happy.

**[Company:]**

**The world turned upside down!**

Due to her being the only one not on a euphoria high, Emilia was the only one who took notice of a particular frame. She grimaced but quickly smoothed over her expression. Everyone was happy, and she wasn’t going to ruin it right now. 

She just hoped she, and everyone else, was emotionally prepared enough for what comes next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited. By the way, shameless self-promotion, if you happen to be a Danganronpa fan, I recently started getting back into the fandom and already have a few things up, if you want to check those out.


	22. What Comes Next?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Iel5o9U7nE

It took about ten minutes for everyone to come down from the euphoria high they were on after being told they would win the war they’d fought so hard.

“Is everyone ready to continue?”

“Yes, but I have a question.”

“Yes, General?”

“Did the war actually end at Yorktown? What followed?”

“The war did effectively end at Yorktown, but it wasn’t until a peace treaty was signed in Paris that the was officially declared over, on September 3rd, 1783. But the fighting pretty much stopped after Yorktown.”

_ “Mostly. Not including, you know, *that*, but yeah.”  _ she thought bitterly. Really, that was not going to be fun.

**_“What Comes Next?”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[King George:]**

**They say**

“Why’s the king drinking?” Herc said, sounding like he was barely holding back a laugh.

**The price of my war's not a price that they're willing to pay**

“Isn't it Britain already in pretty significant debt?”

“Yeah, Mr.Madison, they are, and the ensuing debt from the Revolutionary war didn’t help matters.”

**Insane**

Emilia laughed quietly. “It’s kind of funny, actually, because he did actually pretty much go insane. His son had to act as his Regent until he died.”

**You cheat with the French, now I'm fighting with France and with Spain**

Maria snorted, a slight smirk tugging at her lips.

**I'm so blue**

**I thought that we'd made an arrangement**

Martha shook her head. “That poor bartender.”

**When you went away**

**You were mine to subdue**

**Well, even despite our estrangement, I've got**

**A small query for you:**

“We didn’t ask for it, good sir,” Jefferson said sarcastically.

**What comes next?**

“That’s...actually a really good question,” Washington said, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. What, indeed, would they do once the war was won? There was so much they would have to figure out on the fly.

**You've been freed**

Peggy snorted at the colonial flag being let out of a cage.

**Do you know how hard it is to lead?**

“I can’t imagine. It seems really stressful” Courtney said.

“It is. If something goes wrong, oftentimes you’re the one who takes most of the blame. Leading isn’t easy, but having capable leaders can mean the difference between success and failure.” Washington said. 

**You're on your own**

“That’s actually kind of nerve-wracking,” Madison muttered, leaning slightly against Thomas.

**Awesome. Wow**

The room burst out laughing. 

“If you want to get really meta,” Emilia said through barely controlled laughter. “It’s a guy with an American accent imitating a guy with a British accent imitating an American accent.”

**Do you have a clue what happens now?**

Henry shook his head. Even having presided over the Continental Congress, he wouldn’t have nearly the same level of responsibility as those working to build the country from the ground up would.

**Oceans rise**

**Empires fall**

**It's much harder when it's all your call**

Even if it wasn’t exactly the same as starting a brand new country, Burr Sr could kind of understand. Starting a college was a lot of work, and a lot of things could go wrong very quickly. He, nor the other Princeton founders, knew what might happen, but they went forward anyway.

**All alone, across the sea**

**When your people say they hate you**

_ “Honestly, even America hates America. Well, some parts of it, anyway.” _

**Don't come crawling back to me**

**Da da da da daaaaaaa, da da da da dayyyyyyyy ya da**

Emilia shrugged her shoulders in dance with the music. 

**Da da da-da day ya daa...**

**You're on your own…**


	23. Dear Theodosia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g07s1qTP6Rs

**_“Dear Theodosia”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

Martha raised an eyebrow curiously. Is this what I think it is?”

Emilia grinned widely. “This is one of my favorite songs in the entire musical. It’s just so sweet.”

**[Burr:]**

**Dear Theodosia, what to say to you?**

“Is that-”

**You have my eyes. You have your mother's name**

“I’M GONNA BE AN AUNT?!” Sarah squealed.

Theo and Aaron looked wide-eyed at each other for an almost comically long time before grinning themselves.

Esther and Aaron Sr looked at one another in shock.

“She definitely needs to meet Ronnie,” Sarah said excitedly.

“Oh absolutely.”

“Ronnie?” Esther interjected.

“My son,” Sarah said, eliciting a gasp from her mother.

“You mean we’re grandparents?!”

Those who were parents watched the scene with some amusement. 

**When you came into the world, you cried and it broke my heart**

“Don’t all kids cry?” Dolley said, though she was smiling as well.

“You don’t want your kids unhappy, Dolley,” Thomas said. Next to him, Patsy was smiling softly. Having kids was a big responsibility, and they could be a pain sometimes, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

**_Theodosia: Aaron, I just squeezed out a baby, you’re not going anywhere._ **

**_Aaron: Theo, I can’t do it, she’s too cute, my heart can’t take it._ **

The corners of Catherine's mouth twitched with amusement. Philip had reacted similarly when Angelica was born.

“This is so cute,” Peggy said, grasping Maria’s hands excitedly. 

**I'm dedicating every day to you**

“Did anyone see the title of that book?” Peggy said, eyes twinkling. “This is adorable.”

**Domestic life was never quite my style**

“Is it ever?”

Patsy elbowed her husband in the side. “It's the women's thing according to men, how dare you,” she said playfully. 

**When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart**

**And I thought I was so smart**

“Me every time I watch this animatic,” Emilia said, a wide smile on her face. This was one of her favorite animatics from Szin, mostly because it was just so adorable.

**You will come of age with our young nation**

“They will, won’t they,” Elizabeth murmured, thinking of her own kids. 

**We'll bleed and fight for you,**

The soldiers' faces all darkened. They had done so much of that already.

**we'll make it right for you**

**If we lay a strong enough foundation**

**We'll pass it on to you, we'll give the world to you**

**And you'll blow us all away…**

Aaron was sure of that. He fully intended to give his future daughter as good of an education as was possible, if he was to take away anything his future wife had taught him.

**Someday, someday**

**Yeah, you'll blow us all away**

**Someday, someday**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Oh Philip, when you smile I am undone**

“They named him after our father?” Angelica said, a relaxed smile on her face. Her father flushed slightly, flattered.

**My son**

**Look at my son**

James held back a snort. His brother could be slightly ridiculous sometimes, but that quality tended to be more endearing rather than annoying.

**Pride is not the word I'm looking for**

Rachel smiled. She’d thought much the same when she had James and Alex. As for Peter, well...that was something she’d think about later.

**There is so much more inside me now**

Eleanor glanced over at her children, smiling to herself. Children had that ability to make you feel a multitude of emotions at once, something that happened to her every time she had a child. 

**Oh Philip, you outshine the morning sun**

**My son**

“Did-did they just rhyme son with sun?” Mattie said slightly incredulously, though she didn’t seem all that mad. She was a bit more preoccupied thinking of her own daughter, Frances.

**When you smile, I fall apart**

**And I thought I was so smart**

**_Alexander: You have killed your father, Philip._ **

Angelica snorted in amusement.

**My father wasn't around**

Hamilton shrunk back slightly as a handful of people turned to glare at him. Yeah...he was starting to think leaving his family had been the wrong idea.

**[Burr:]**

**My father wasn't around**

Burr Sr sighed to himself. Though he knew he couldn’t really control when he died, he still felt really bad about leaving his children like that. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**I swear that**

**[Burr/Hamilton:]**

**I'll be around for you**

Hamilton hoped that Alex would be better about that promise than him.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I'll do whatever it takes**

**[Burr:]**

**I'll make a million mistakes**

_“That frame is really smart,”_ Emilia thought. It was just another one of the many reasons she loved this animatic.

**[Burr/Hamilton:]**

**I'll make the world safe and sound for you…**

**…Will come of age with our young nation**

**We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you**

**If we lay a strong enough foundation**

**We'll pass it on to you, we'll give the world to you**

**And you'll blow us all away...**

**Someday, someday**

**Yeah, you'll blow us all away**

**Someday, someday**

Emilia was the only one who wasn’t feeling lighthearted. No one besides her knew the significance of that last frame. She steeled herself for the inevitable angst and explanations she’d be asked for.


	24. Laurens Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCGM2xzQ9gg&t=15s

**_“Laurens Interlude”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

Immediately, everyone was on edge, and almost simultaneously looked to Emilia for answers. She, however, was silent, staring at the screen with an edge to her gaze.

The animatic hadn’t stopped, so everyone forced their attention back there.

**[Laurens:]**

**I may not live to see our glory**

Lafayette felt anxiety in the pit of his stomach. John had been foretold to die at some point in the musical, and Lafayette had a sneaking suspicion that this was it.

**[Eliza:]**

**Alexander, there's a letter for you from South Carolina**

John frowned to himself. He got the feeling that the letter wasn’t from him, but if not, then who sent it?

**[Laurens:]**

**But I will gladly join the fight**

Mulligan squeezed his wife's hand. It wasn’t confirmed quite yet, but...

**[Hamilton:]**

**It's from John Laurens. I'll read it later**

Despite the situation, John sniffed in mock offense.

**[Eliza:]**

**No, it's not**

Mattie wrapped her arms around herself tightly, leaning on Marty slightly. She might not be in love with John, but she still cared about him.

**[Laurens:]**

**And when our children tell our story**

Even if both might deny it, both John and Aaron would consider each other friends, or at least allies. Aaron felt no small amount of sorrow at John dying.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Will you read it?**

Angelica almost said something, but she caught herself. She’d regret if she did, and it just wasn’t appropriate given the circumstances.

**[Laurens:]**

**They'll tell the story of tonight**

Eleanor choked back a sob, burying her face in Henry’s shoulder. She didn’t want her son to die, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

**[Eliza:]**

**"On Tuesday, the twenty-seventh, Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens was killed in a gunfight against British troops in South Carolina.**

Marty swallowed thickly. She decided to focus on the feeling of Mattie leaning ever so slightly on her right, and John (Alive, she reminded herself. Alive) in the corner of her vision.

**These troops had not yet received word from Yorktown that the war was over.**

Emilia sighed, blinking a few times. She wasn’t going to cry, she wasn’t that type of person and she’d listened to this song too many times, but she did feel bad. It was an unfortunate fact that relaying information took time in the 1700s.

**He's buried here until his family can send for his remains.**

Henry tightened his grip around Eleanor. He wasn’t going to cry, not in front of all these people.

**As you may know, Lieutenant Colonel Laurens was engaged in recruiting three thousand men for the first all-black military regiment.**

**The surviving members of this regiment have been returned to their masters."**

“What?!” Despite the situation, John was outraged. “That’s completely unfair. They were fighting for their freedom as much as we are.”

“You wanna know what’s even better?” Emilia added, just as upset. “It kinda funny, but a lot of black people fought for the British because they stood a much better chance of gettin freedom. Honestly, it’s amazing any black people were willing to fight for you be. If you can’t promise freedom for truly everyone, that’s just hypocritical.”

Maybe it was a bit harsh, but Emilia was running on emotions more than logic right now. Racial equality was very important to her, even more so since Nettie’s cousin had been killed by police a couple of years back. It was one of those things, like gender equality, that made her so indignant at the injustice of it all that she became careless and impulsive.

**[Laurens:]**

**Tomorrow there'll be more of us**

**[Eliza:]**

**Alexander, are you alright?**

George shook his head slightly. There was no way Alexander was alright after learning his best friend was dead.

Not that he was a whole lot better, but still.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I have so much work to do**

Rachel frowned. Was he going to bury himself in tasks rather than talk to people about this? That was not healthy behavior, but she didn’t know what she could do. (Nothing, at the moment. Alex wasn’t even there.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an annoucment.
> 
> Now, I'm sure at least some of you know the fic "What is a legacy", a 'hamilton reacts" fic by Fiorite4. Some of you, no doubt, are wondering what happened to it.
> 
> Long story short, it was deleted of AO3, and as far as I am aware, has been discontinued.
> 
> However!
> 
> I did receive permission from the author to repost that fic here on AO3. It is up on my page, and will be updated as regularly as possible until all existing chapters are there.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/27342091/chapters/66806173
> 
> Also, would you guys be interested in Emilia's girlfriend showing up for act two? Perhaps some of the Hamilcast (Maybe just Lin?) Let me know what you think!


	25. Non-Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Animatic used:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9iLfPP4Ps8&t=114s

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably not my best chapter, but enjoy!

**_“Non-Stop”_ **

**_-Szin_ **

**[Burr:]**

**After the war I went back to New York**

Henry and Eleanor both tried to stabilize their emotions. It was somewhat understandable that the musical moved right along, but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting.

**[Hamilton:]**

**A-after the war I went back to New York**

**[Burr:]**

**I finished up my studies and I practiced law**

“The facial expressions are great,” Peggy said, amusement evident, and for good reason.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I practiced law, Burr worked next door**

“Keep an eye out for the facial zoom ins. Makes this animatic 110% better,” Emilia said, a grin on her face.

**[Burr:]**

**Even though we started at the very same time**

“Really?” Esther’s head tilted in question.

Emilia nodded. “Almost. There was a slight gap, but I’m pretty sure with was within the year.”

**Alexander Hamilton began to climb**

**How to account for his rise to the top?**

**Maaaaan, the man is**

**[Burr and Ensemble:]**

**Non-stop**

Angelica snorted. “Tell me about it. He never stops, which is kind of concerning.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**Gentlemen of the jury, I'm curious, bear with me**

**Are you aware that we're making hist'ry?**

**This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation**

**The liberty behind deliberation**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Non-stop**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I intend to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt**

**With my assistant counsel**

**[Burr:]**

**Co-counsel**

**Hamilton, sit down**

John snickered. Alexander was acting like a petulant child.

**Our client Levi Weeks is innocent**

“Oh?”

Emilia turned to Dolley. “The public certainly didn’t think so, but a lot of the evidence was circumstantial, so Weeks was eventually acquitted.”

**Call your first witness**

**That's all you had to say**

Madison nodded. Sometimes saying less was better. Less of a chance to say something you don’t mean.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Okay**

**One more thing**

“Did-did he just jump over the table?”

Emilia giggled at James, nodded. James sighed heavily.

**[Burr:]**

**Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?**

_ “Because he normally is,”  _ Angelica thought. However, she knew what Burr was getting at. Alexander had intellectual equals, particularly in her and Burr, but plenty of other people in this room had at least the intellectual capacity to keep up with him, and he didn’t seem to realize that.

**Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?**

**Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?**

**Soon that attitude may be your doom**

Elizabeth grimaced. It was certainly clever, but that foreshadowing in the art wasn’t fun.

**[Ensemble:]**

**Awwww**

**[Burr (Ensemble):]**

**Why do you write like you're running out of time? (Why do you write like you're running out of time?)**

**Write day and night like you're running out of time?**

“Does he really?” Patsy wondered

“Oh yes,” Lafayette said with a huff. “I can’t tell you how many times John or myself have had to drag him to his cot. It’s ridiculous.”

**Ev'ry day you fight, like you're running out of time (Ev'ry day you fight, like you're running out of time)**

**Keep on fighting in the meantime**

**(Non-stop!)**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Corruption's such an old song that we can sing along in harmony**

**And nowhere is it stronger than in Albany**

Philip and Catherine both glared half heartedly. Albany was their home, of course they’d be defensive.

**This colony's economy's increasingly stalling and honestly**

**That's why public service seems to be calling me ([Burr and Ensemble:] He's just non-stop!)**

**I practiced the law, I practic'ly perfected it**

Hec snorted. “I can’t tell you how many times he did that when he was living with me and Elizabeth.”

John snickered. “Trust me, I know.”

Washington shook his head in fond exasperation.

**I've seen injustice in the world and I've corrected it**

Sarah could sympathize with her brother at this moment. Hamilton was clearly an exhausting person to be around.

**Now for a strong central democracy**

**If not, then I'll be Socrates**

**Throwing verbal rocks at these mediocrities**

**[Ensemble:]**

**Awww**

**[Burr:]**

**Hamilton, at the Constitutional Convention**

“What’s that?” Martha asked.

“It was a convention to figure out what to do with our government, since the Articles of Confederation became trash by then.”

**[Hamilton:]**

**I was chosen for the Constitutional Convention**

Mattie giggled. Spoken like a child in a toy store

**[Burr:]**

**There as a New York junior delegate**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Now what I'm going to say may sound indelicate**

“Is he ever not?” Jefferson muttered.

**[Company:]**

**Awwww**

**[Burr (Company):]**

**Goes and proposes his own form of government! (What?)**

“Ehh?!” Marty was shocked. Was he really doing something so radical? Wasn’t there a lot of risk in doing that? She trusted that he knew what he was doing, but it still made her a bit uneasy.

**His own plan for a new form of government! (What?)**

Tapping had to appreciate the facial expressions of Aaron and Mulligan. It captured exactly how a lot of them felt at the moment.

**[Burr:]**

**Talks for six hours!**

“What?!” Adrienne knew the man was verbose, but she had to wonder how his throat didn’t get dry talking for that long. She could barely talk for thirty minutes before her voice got tired.

**The convention is listless**

**[Ensemble man:]**

**Bright young man**

**[Another Ensemble man:]**

**Yo, who the f is this?**

The entire room started laughing.

**[Burr (Company):]**

**Why do you always say what you believe?**

**Why do you always say what you believe? (Why do you always say what you believe?)**

**Ev'ry proclamation guarantees**

**Free ammunition for your enemies**

**(Awww!)**

“Is it really?”

“One word, Courtney. Gossip.”

“Oohhhh. Yeah, that makes sense.”

**[Burr and men (all women):]**

**Why do you write like it's**

**Going out of style? (Going out of style, hey!)**

**Write day and night like it's**

**Going out of style? (Going out of style, hey!)**

**[Burr and Company:]**

**Ev'ry day you fight like it's**

**Going out of style**

**Do what you do**

**[Burr:]**

**Alexander?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Aaron Burr, sir**

Esther and Burr Sr both groaned. Did they really have to say that every single time?

**[Burr:]**

**Well, it's the middle of the night**

“Really, Alex?” Rachel deadpanned.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Can we confer, sir?**

**[Burr:]**

**Is this a legal matter?**

Theodosia frowned. It was a bit strange that Aaron didn’t consider the other reason he could be there first. Was their relationship just like that?

**[Hamilton:]**

**Yes, and it's important to me**

**[Burr:]**

**What do you need?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Burr, you're a better lawyer than me**

Aaron’s eyes widened. Was Alexander really saying that? Surely he didn’t actually mean it.

**[Burr:]**

**Okay**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I know I talk too much, I'm abrasive**

**You're incredible in court**

**You're succinct, persuasive**

“Ok, I have a funny story pertaining to this. So, during a case, Alexander wanted to do the closing statement because it holds more prestige, or something. Aaron let him, but when he did his opening statement, he tried to anticipate all the point Hamilton might make, and was apparently so effective at it that Hamilton had nothing new to add when the time came.”

**My client needs a strong defense**

**You're the solution**

It was pretty obvious to Angelica that Alexander needed something from Burr, otherwise he probably wouldn’t be saying these things.

**[Burr:]**

**Who's your client?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**The new U.S. Constitution**

**[Burr:]**

**No**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Hear me out**

**[Burr:]**

**No way**

**[Hamilton:]**

**A series of essays, anonymously published**

**Defending the document to the public**

**[Burr:]**

**No one will read it**

“If they’re dull, maybe?” Jeffersona said.

**[Hamilton:]**

**I disagree**

**[Burr:]**

**And if it fails?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Burr, that's why we need it**

**[Burr:]**

**The constitution's a mess**

“That’s a good point,” Maria said. 

**[Hamilton:]**

**So it needs amendments**

“Also true,” said Peggy.

**[Burr:]**

**It's full of contradictions**

**[Hamilton:]**

**So is independence**

**We have to start somewhere**

**[Burr:]**

**No, no way**

**[Hamilton:]**

**You're making a mistake**

**[Burr:]**

**Good night**

“Can’t blame you. Maybe don’t approach someone in the middle of the night,” Sarah said with a nodded. Who knew what time he’d shown up at the door.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Hey**

“Alexander…” Rachel put her head in her hands. Burr had already declined.

**What are you waiting for?**

**What do you stall for?**

“Go listen to Wait for It,” someone said lightly.

**[Burr:]**

**What?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**We won the war**

**What was it all for?**

**Do you support this constitution?**

**[Burr:]**

**Of course**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Then defend it**

**[Burr:]**

**And what if you're backing the wrong horse?**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Burr, we studied**

Madison smiled thinly. When he was in college, he’d once pushed himself so hard, getting very little sleep and generally not taking care of himself. As a consequence, he’d nearly suffered a breakdown.

**and we fought and we killed**

The soldiers grimaced. Killing, and war in general, was not fun at all. It had a tendency to be romanticized, which wasn’t good.

**For the notion of a nation we now get to build**

**For once in your life, take a stand with pride**

**I don't understand how you stand to the side**

**[Burr (Ensemble):]**

**I'll keep all my plans**

**Close to my chest (Wait for it, wait for it, wait…)**

A chill ran through the room. Wait for it had a profound impact on all of them, and it did now as well.

**I'll wait here and see**

**[Burr/Ensemble:]**

**Which way the wind will blow**

**I'm taking my time**

**Watching the afterbirth of a nation**

**Watching the tension grow**

**[Angelica:]**

**I am sailing off to London**

“What!” Peggy turned to her sister in shock.

Angelica gave Peggy a sympathetic smile. “We knew it was going to happen eventually.”

“Yeah, but-”

Peggy was cut off as Angelica pulled her into a hug.

Philip and Catherine watched their daughters sadly. 

**I'm accompanied by someone who always pays**

**I have found a wealthy husband**

**Who will keep me in comfort for all my days**

“He better be nice.” Peggy muttered. “Otherwise he’ll have me to contend with.”

Emilia tried to be as discreet as possible when she looked at Church. He kept glancing at Angelica out of the corner of his eye, but she wasn’t looking at him at all.

**He is not a lot of fun,**

“Are men ever?” Peggy joked, causing Angelica to snort.

**but there's no one**

**Who can match you for turn of phrase**

**My Alexander**

Maria raised an eyebrow.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Angelica**

**[Angelica:]**

**Don't forget to write**

“I don’t think he will,” John said.

**[Eliza:]**

**Look at where you are**

**Look at where you started**

**The fact that you're alive is a miracle**

**Just stay alive, that would be enough**

Dolley couldn’t help but feel like those were some pretty low standards.

**And if your wife could share a fraction of your time**

**If I could grant you peace of mind**

**Would that be enough?**

Hamilton glanced at his would be wife and son. He cared about them, really, but this musical was making him doubt his decision to leave more and more.

**[Burr:]**

**Alexander joins forces with James Madison**

Said man perked up. He’d been wondering why he was here, as it seemed to be focusing more on Hamilton’s friends.

**and John Jay to write a series of essays defending the new United States Constitution, entitled The Federalist Papers. The plan was to write a total of twenty-five essays, the work divided evenly among the three men.**

“Um, that doesn’t make sense,” Jefferson casually remarked. “That would give you a fraction.”

**In the end, they wrote eighty-five essays, in the span of six months.**

“Damn,” Herc whispered. Writing one essay was hard enough, but eighty five? Sure it was split among three people, but still.

**John Jay got sick after writing five. James Madison wrote twenty-nine.**

Patsy smiled at Madison. By himself, he’d exceeded the original amount.

“Wait, doesn’t that mean-”

**Hamilton wrote the other fifty-one**

Everyone gasped. 

Angelica was frowning half heartedly. Fifty one? How much time was he spending away from Eliza, from their son? Surely that workload couldn’t be healthy.

Rachel and James exchanged worried glances

“Fun fact, there's a writing challenge in the Hamilton community called The Other Fifty One,” Emilia said. “The idea is to write fifty one things in six months, same as Alexander.”

“Wait, people actually do that?” Martha couldn’t fathom why anyone would try that.

Emilia shrugged. “I myself haven’t actually done it, thought I think it would be fun. I have to give props to Hamilton for doing that. It’s quite impressive.”

**[Burr (all women):]**

**How do you write like you're**

**Running out of time? (Running out of time?)**

**Write day and night like you're**

**Running out of time? (Running out of time?)**

Burr’s expression captured pretty well how most of them felt at the moment. It was both awe inspiring and concerning.

**[Burr and men (all women):]**

**Ev'ry day you fight like you're**

**Running out of time (Running out of time)**

**Like you're**

**Running out of time (Running out of time)**

**Are you running out of time? (Awwww!)**

_ “Aren’t we all?”  _ Lafayette wondered. As morbid as it was, everyone died sooner or later. It seemed that Alexander was simply more aware of that fact.

**[Full Company except Hamilton:]**

**How do you write like tomorrow won't arrive?**

**How do you write like you need it to survive?**

It was chilling, seeing Angelica, Eliza, Hercules, and Aaron with their backs turned and yelling at him. 

**How do you write ev'ry second you're alive?**

Aaron was feeling the same way as his on screen counterpart. He might not always agree with the man, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t occasionally worry about him.

**Ev'ry second you're alive?**

Elizabeth sympathized with Eliza. Herc might not be gone as often as some of the other soldiers, but she still worried for him. He had a tendency to get absorbed in tailoring, losing track of time.

**Ev'ry second you're alive?**

**[Washington:]**

“That was a really good transition,” Adrienne muttered to Lafayette, who nodded.

**They are asking me to lead**

**I am doing the best I can**

**To get the people that I need**

**I'm asking you to be my right hand man**

Emilia smiled to herself. Leitmotifs were one of the best parts of Hamilton, especially in Act 2.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Treasury or State?**

**[Washington:]**

**I know it's a lot to ask**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Treasury or State?**

Peggy could tell Alexander had already made up his mind. She couldn’t really fault him for wanting to help shape their country, but she also couldn’t help feeling that Eliza was going to be left behind if something didn’t change.

**[Washington:]**

**To leave behind the world you know**

**[Hamilton:]**

**Sir, do you want me to run the Treasury or State department?**

**[Washington:]**

**Treasury**

Theodosia snorted at the look on the general's face.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Let's go**

A few people in the room laughed uncertainly, stopping almost as quickly as they’d happened.

**[Eliza:]**

**Alexander**

**[Hamilton:]**

**I have to leave**

**[Eliza:]**

**Alexander**

Philip tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach. Alexander had a job to do, yes, but Eliza was also important.

**[Hamilton:]**

**Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now**

Angelica glared. Did he seriously just use Eliza’s words against her?

**[Eliza:]**

**Helpless**

Aaron swallowed thickly. Hadn’t Alexander promised she wouldn’t feel this way? Yet here they were, and it seemed that promise was broken.

**[Hamilton:]**

**They are asking me to lead**

**[Eliza:]**

**Look around, isn't this enough?**

Hamilton remembered the day he’d chosen to leave. Rachel had reacted similarly.

**[Angelica (Eliza):]**

**He will never be satisfied**

_ “No he won’t,”  _ Emilia thought. She loved Act 2, really, but she was worried about how her viewing companions would react to some of the songs.

**(What would be enough)**

James could remember the arguments his parents had gotten into before their dad left. James and Alex would either in the furthest corner of the house, or try not to be there at all.

**He will never be satisfied (To be satisfied)**

**Satisfied (Satisfied)**

**Satisfied (Satisfied)**

**[Washington:]**

**History has its eyes on you**

**[Together:]**

**[Burr:] Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?**

**Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room?**

**Soon that attitude's gonna be your doom**

**[Eliza:] Look around! Look around! Isn't this enough? What would be enough?**

**[Wash/Mull/Laur/Laf:] History has its eyes on you**

**[Angelica:] He will never be satisfied, satisfied, satisfied**

**[All:] Non-Stop! Non-Stop! Non-Stop! Non-Stop**

**Why do you fight like**

The imagery was a lot to take it, but it succeeded in making everyone very tense and anxious.

**[Company:]**

**History has its eyes on you**

Emilia loved the way everything came together at that point, as well as Szin’s choice to use a theater.

**[Hamilton (men) {Full Company}:]**

**I am not throwin' away my shot! (Just you wait!)**

Sarah’s eyes narrowed. If she was interpreting that correctly...

**I am not throwin' away my shot! {Just you wait!}**

Maria’s brow furrowed. That was her, clearly, with a child (what?) and a man she got a bad feeling from. She squeezed Peggy’s arm slightly.

**I am**

**Alexander Hamilton! {Alexander Hamilton}**

**{Hamilton, just you wait!}**

**I am not throwin' away my shot**

Emilia threw her fist in the air with the final beat. The ending was just so good.

“Well, that’s a wrap for Act 1.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I have a couple people joining for Act 2, those being Emilia's girlfriend, and Lin Manuel Miranda.
> 
> It might be a bit until the next chapter, btw. I want to try and wrap up some of my other works.


End file.
